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JEANNE  D’ARC 


) 


i 


dleputedtf'o  rtra.it  of 

Jr  a  nrt.r,  r/JArr, 

drom,  the  original,  formerly  in  the^Iuu'chofS*.  Y/rurice, Orleans. 

(MlrSBBVir  TROCADBRO,  PARIS.) 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


M 


MAID  OF  ORLEANS 
DELIVERER  OF  FRANCE 


Being  the  Story  of  her  Life,  her  Achievements, 
and  her  Death,  as  attested  on  Oath  and 
Set  forth  in  the  Original  Documents 


EDITED  BY 

T.  DOUGLAS  MURRAY 


WITH  ILLUSTRATIONS  AND  A  MAP 


NEW  YORK 

MCCLURE,  PHILLIPS  &  CO. 


Printed  in  England. 


This  Edition  is  for  Sale  in  the  United 
States  of  America  only ,  and  is 
not  to  be  imported  into  Countries 
signatory  to  the  Berne  Treaty. 


9  z>  n  n 
T  Ll  3 


PREFACE 

The  following  Document  concerning  the  story  of  the 
life  and  death  of  Jeanne  d’Arc,  Maid  of  Orleans,  is 
probably  the  only  known  instance  in  which  a  complete 
biographical  record,  of  historical  importance,  has  been 
elicited  by  evidence  taken  on  oath.  These  depositions 
cover  the  childhood  of  the  Maid  ;  the  series  of  her 
military  exploits  as  Commander-in-Chief  of  the  armies 
of  France  ;  her  capture,  imprisonment,  and  death  at  the 
stake  in  the  market-place  of  Rouen. 

The  official  Latin  text  of  the  Trial  and  Rehabili¬ 
tation  of  Jeanne  'd’Arc,  rescued  from  oblivion  among 
the  archives  of  France,  and  published  in  the  forties  by 
Ouicherat,  has  been  faithfully,  and  now  for  the  first  time, 
rendered  into  English.  This  account,  given  by  numerous 
contemporary  witnesses,  of  an  episode  which  profoundly 
affected  the  history  of  Europe  and  determined  the 
destinies  of  England  and  France  must  appeal  to  the 
general  reader  no  less  than  to  the  student. 


! 


INTRODUCTION 


By  the  order  of  Pope  Calixtus  in  1455,  the  Trial 
of  Jeanne  d’Arc  at  Rouen,  which  had  taken  place 
twenty-four  years  before,  was  reconsidered  by  a  great 
court  of  lawyers  and  churchmen,  and  the  condemnation 
of  Jeanne  was  solemnly  annulled  and  declared  wicked 
and  unjust.  By  this  re-trial  posterity  has  been  allowed 
to  see  the  whole  life  of  the  village  maiden  of  Domremy, 
as  she  was  known  first  to  her  kinsfolk  and  her  neigh¬ 
bours,  and  afterwards  to  warriors,  nobles  and  church¬ 
men  who  followed  her  extraordinary  career.  The 
evidence  so  given  is  unique  in  its  minute  and  faith- 
worthy  narration  of  a  great  and  noble  life  ;  as  indeed 
that  life  is  itself  unique  in  all  human  history.  After 
all  that  can  be  done  by  the  rationalising  process,  the 
mystery  remains  of  an  untutored  and  unlettered  girl 
of  eighteen  years  old,  not  only  imposing  her  will  upon 
captains  and  courtiers,  but  showing  a  skill  and  judgment 
worthy,  as  General  Dragomiroff  says,  of  the  greatest 
commanders,  indeed  of  Napoleon  himself.  While  we 
must  give  due  weight  and  consideration  to  the  age  in 
which  this  marvel  showed  itself  on  the  stage  of  history, 
an  age  of  portents  and  prophecies,  of  thaumaturgists  and 
saints,  yet  when  all  allowance  is  made  there  remains  this 
sane,  strong,  solid  girl  leaving  her  humble  home,  and  in 


INTRODUCTION 


viii 

two  short  months  accomplishing  more  than  Cæsar  or 
Alexander  accomplished  in  so  much  time,  and  at  an  age 
when  even  Alexander  had  as  yet  achieved  nothing. 

The  story  is  best  given  by  the  witnesses,  and  only 
indications  or,  so  to  speak,  sign-posts  are  needed  to 
point  out  the  way.  Before  the  work  of  Jeanne  can  be 
even  vaguely  apprehended  something  must  be  known 
of  how  France  stood  at  her  coming.  A  century  of  mis¬ 
fortune  and  sorrow,  broken  only  by  a  parenthesis  of 
comparative  prosperity  from  1380  to  1407,  had  left 
her  an  easy  prey  to  the  hereditary  enemy.  Torn 
asunder  by  factions  which  distracted  Church  and  State 
alike,  she  was  in  no  condition  of  health  and  courage 
to  recover  from  the  shock  of  the  crushing  disaster  of 
Agincourt.  For  although  the  English  were  unable  at 
the  moment  to  follow  up  the  victory  they  had  gained, 
and  Henry  V.  returned  to  England  the  bearer  of  barren 
glory,  still  the  breathing  time  was  not  put  to  good 
account  by  the  French,  whose  domestic  jars  made  com¬ 
bined  national  action  impossible.  At  Henry’s  second 
coming,  regular  resistance  was  hardly  offered.  His 
fleets  and  armies  held  the  Channel  and  the  ports  and 
fortresses  on  both  sides.  The  King  of  France  was 
insane.  His  wife,  Isabel  of  Bavaria,  came  to  terms 
with  the  English  King,  and  by  the  treaty  of  Troyes 
(1420)  the  Crown  of  France  was  to  pass  away  from 
the  Dauphin,  whom  his  wretched  mother  would  fain 
bastardise,  to  the  issue  of  Henry  and  the  Princess 
Catherine,  the  ready  instrument  of  her  mother’s  purpose. 
When  Henry  V.  died  the  son  born  of  this  unhallowed 
marriage  was  declared  King  of  France  and  England 
under  the  title  of  Henry  VI.  The  poor  child  was 
less  than  a  year  old.  His  able  and  resolute  uncle  John, 


INTRODUCTION 


IX 


Duke  of  Bedford,  ruled  France  as  Regent,  and  carried 
the  arms  of  England  in  triumph  against  all  who  dared 
to  dispute  his  nephew’s  title.  The  Dauphin  fled  to  the 
south,  and  abandoned  to  Bedford  all  territory  north  of 
the  Loire.  Paris  was  occupied  and  held  by  the  English. 
The  braver  members  of  the  Parliament  and  the  Univer¬ 
sity  joined  the  Dauphin  at  Poitiers,  but  the  accommo¬ 
dating  and  timid  members  did  homage  to  Bedford  and 
duly  attorned  to  Henry  VI.  as  to  their  lawful  King. 
Orleans  alone  remained,  of  the  strong  places  of  France, 
in  the  hands  of  the  patriot  party.  If  Orleans  fell, 
all  organised  opposition  to  Bedford  would  melt  away. 

As  Orleans  was  the  key  of  the  military,  so  was  Rheims 
the  key  of  the  political,  situation.  Rheims  was  the  old 
city  wdiere  for  many  centuries  the  Kings  of  France  had 
been  crowned  and  consecrated.  Such  a  ceremony  brought 
with  it  in  an  especial  manner  the  sacrosanct  divinity 
which  in  the  middle  ages  hedged  a  King. 

It  is  noteworthy  that  Jeanne’s  mission,  as  now  defined 
and  traced  by  French  scholars,  was  the  double  one  of 
rescuing  beleaguered  Orleans  and  crowning  the  Dauphin 
at  Rheims. 

Orleans  had  withstood  a  stubborn  siege  of  many 
months,  but  its  fate  seemed  sealed.  The  Dauphin  had 
almost  given  up  the  struggle.  He  had  made  futile  appeals 
for  help  to  the  King  of  Scotland,  whose  infant  daughter 
was  betrothed  to  young  Louis,  afterwards  the  terrible 
Louis  XI.  To  Naples  also  he  made  appeals,  but  no 
succour  or  hope  came,  and  in  despair  he  shut  himself 
up  at  Chinon,  giving  up  the  cause  of  France  as  lost 
unless  aid  came  from  on  high.  Jeanne  came  as  the 
messenger  of  glad  tidings,  and  announced  herself  as  one 
sent  by  God  to  aid  France  in  her  extreme  need. 


X 


INTRODUCTION 


She  came  from  Lorraine,  out  of  which  no  good  thing 
could  come,  as  proverbs  taught  ;  for  Lorraine  had  ever 
been  branded  as  false  to  God  and  false  to  man.  Am¬ 
biguous  in  its  relations  to  France  and  to  the  Empire,  it 
had,  like  most  borderlands,  the  unstableness  of  character 
which  comes  of  social  and  political  insecurity.  Jeanne’s 
native  town  of  Domremy  was  one  of  a  cluster  of  hamlets 
on  the  verge  of  France,  in  the  smiling  valley  through 
which  a  winding  river  made  its  way.  Her  father  and 
mother  were  in  a  very  humble  station,  having  a  little 
patch  of  land  with  rights  of  commonage  on  the  village 
pastures,  and  were,  from  the  evidence  of  their  neigh¬ 
bours,  frugal,  hard-working,  and  “  well  thought  of.” 

Jeanne  herself  was  in  no  way  marked  out  from  her 
girl  friends  by  any  special  accomplishments  or  ambition. 
She  prided  herself  solely  on  her  domestic  usefulness  and 
her  skill  in  household  work.  She  was  intensely  pious, 
but  in  no  way  introspective  or  morbid.  God  and  His 
angels  and  saints  were  as  real  to  her,  more  real  indeed, 
than  the  men  and  women  of  her  native  village.  The 
thoughts  of  sacred  things  subdued  her  soul  to  an 
unconsciousness  of  self,  which  marks  her  off  even  from 
such  beautiful  spiritual  natures  as  Teresa  and  Bridget 
of  Sweden  and  Catherine  of  Sienna,  whose  habit  of 
mind  was  less  simple  and  less  humble  than  hers.  She 
seems  to  have  grieved  long  and  deeply  on  the  mis¬ 
fortunes  of  France,  which  was  to  her  the  only  country 
claiming  her  allegiance.  For,  although  geographically 
in  Lorraine,  Domremy  was  part  of  the  French  King¬ 
dom,  and  its  people  were  devotedly  on  the  side  of 
the  Dauphin  and  the  national  party.  The  Duke  of 
Burgundy,  who  had  sided  with  the  English,  had  only 
one  adherent  in  Domremy,  and  he  was  treated,  after 


INTRODUCTION 


xi 


the  manner  of  good-natured  peasants,  with  a  certain 
humorous  toleration  by  the  patriots  of  the  village. 

Growing  up  in  this  atmosphere,  Jeanne,  who  was  born 
on  the  feast  of  the  Epiphany  1412,  heard  in  her  earlier 
girlhood  of  the  sad  state  of  her  country  torn  asunder  by 
faction  and  treason,  and  presenting  a  very  broken  front 
to  the  redoubtable  armies  of  England,  which  had  in  the 
course  of  a  century  carried  the  banner  of  St.  George 
over  all  the  lands  from  Calais  to  Cadiz  without  once 
meeting  an  enemy  strong  enough  to  look  them  in  the 
face  on  a  pitched  field  of  battle. 

Agincourt,  and  the  carnage  after  Agincourt,  revived  in 
French  minds  the  humiliation  of  Poitiers  and  the  horrors 
of  Limoges,  so  that  dread  and  hatred  of  the  English 
were  the  burden  of  every  household  story.  Nor  must 
we  forget  that  in  Europe  then,  as  in  Asia  and  Africa 
now,  news  spread  apace,  and  unlettered  folk  got  to  know 
in  some  strange  way  the  doings  of  camps  and  courts. 

Old  prophecies  too  were  on  every  lip.  That  weird 
unrest  which  Shakespeare  shadows  forth  in  Peter  of 
Pomfret  and  his  sayings,  shaking  the  throne  of  Richard 
II.  by  their  very  vagueness,  was  nowhere  felt  more 
intensely  than  in  Lorraine,  with  its  blending  of  old 
Celtic  myths,  German  romances,  and  tales  of  Provençal 
minstrelsy  in  all  hearts  and  memories. 

Sublime  above  all  these  loomed  the  Church  and  its 
tremendous  message.  And  so,  from  current  history  and 
fable  and  folk-lore,  Jeanne’s  imagination  was  fed,  while 
her  soul  was  ready  to  receive  any  mandate  which  the 
Lord  of  all  things  might  deign  to  signify.  She  was 
thirteen  years  old  when  the  first  message  came  to  her. 
The  Archangel  Michael,  as  she  states,  appeared,  and  she 
was  struck  with  great  fear  ;  but  afterwards  she  longed 


INTRODUCTION 


xii 

for  his  coming  and  his  words.  He  admonished  her  to 
be  pure  and  holy  and  religious,  and  she  determined  to 
be  so.  Later  on  St.  Catherine  (the  Virgin)  and  St. 
Margaret  appeared  to  her,  and  told  her  that  the  Lord 
ordered  her  to  go  into  France  and  relieve  Orleans.  In 
her  examination  she  tells  these  things  with  great 
particularity,  meeting  all  questions  as  to  age,  size, 
voice,  dress,  language,  and  surroundings  of  the  angels, 
with  a  simple  directness  which  carries  conviction  of  her 
absolute  truthfulness. 

Her  doubts  and  misgivings  as  to  her  own  unfitness 
she  put  aside  as  impertinences,  when  assured  of  her 
divine  mission.  No  shadow  of  spiritual  inflation  or 
egotism  is  to  be  seen  in  all  these  things.  Rather  she 
held  by  the  belief  that  her  very  unworthiness  in  the 
world’s  eye  was  the  cause  of  her  being  chosen  as  a 
simple  instrument  in  the  hands  of  the  Lord. 

H  er  uncle  led  her  to  Vaucouleurs  in  1428  ;  Robert  de 
Baudricourt,  whom  she  believed  she  was  told  to  see, 
declined  to  give  ear  to  her  stories;  but  Jean  de  Metz, 
whose  evidence  is  of  absorbing  interest,  tells  us  how  he 
was  overcome  and  won  over  to  her  by  her  compelling 
earnestness  and  faith.  She  came  to  Chinon  with  a 
small  escort,  and  she  and  her  guard  had  to  travel  mostly 
by  night  to  avoid  the  Burgundians.  “  At  Chinon,”  says 
Jean  de  Metz,  “she  had  to  submit  to  long  inquiries.” 

The  Dauphin  was  naturally  loath  to  take  a  step  so 
full  of  peril,  and  indeed  so  fraught  with  the  danger  of 
ridiculous  failure,  without  grave,  anxious,  and  searching 
investigation.  He  wished  Jeanne  to  appear  at  Poitiers 
before  the  prelates  and  lawyers  of  Parliament.  At 
Poitiers  she  was  subjected  to  the  closest  examination, 
and  in  the  end  convinced  the  lawyers  and  churchmen 


INTRODUCTION 


xiii 

of  her  good  faith  and  the  reality  of  her  visions  and 
voices.  The  Archbishop  of  Rheims,  following  “  Gamaliel 
in  the  Council  of  the  Jews,”  advised  the  Dauphin  not 
to  spurn  the  proffered  help  ;  and  Charles,  who  had 
been  already  impressed  by  the  “  revelations,”  took  the 
Archbishop’s  advice,  and  placed  his  forces  and  his 
fortune  in  her  hands,  trusting  to  divine  help  and 
succour.  The  armies  of  France  were  in  marked  contrast 
to  those  of  England.  French  nobles  had  quasi-regal 
power  in  their  dominions,  and  only  fitfully  followed  the 
royal  arms.  In  England,  from  the  Conquest,  the  King 
was  supreme  lord  of  all,  and  every  one  owed  direct  and 
immediate  allegiance  to  him.  The  English  armies, 
unlike  the  French  feudal  array,  were  made  up  of 
peasants  and  artisans  and  adventurous  young  men 
seeking  a  career,  and,  in  the  last  resort,  as  we  know 
from  Falstaff,  of  losels  and  waifs  and  ne’er-do-wells. 
Whether  Lord  Melville’s  famous  savins'  that  “the  worst 
men  make  the  best  soldiers  ”  be  or  be  not  accepted,  it 
seems  true  enough  that  for  aggressive  wars  at  any 
rate  the  reckless  bravery  of  adventurers  goes  very  far. 
And  Henry’s  army,  composed  as  it  was  of  English, 
Welsh,  and  Irish,  was  in  truth  an  army  of  intrepid  con¬ 
dottieri,  intrepid  to  a  fault,  but  lacking  the  chivalrous 
feelings  which  with  all  their  drawbacks  the  feudal  system 
and  the  knightly  organisations  tended  to  evolve. 

Hardened  and  seasoned  by  years  of  warfare,  the 
English  in  1429  were  without  serious  opposition  or 
check  in  their  movements  and  attacks.  No  French 
army  kept  the  field.  The  King’s  authority  was  flouted. 
The  Duke  of  Burgundy  was  openly  for  the  English 
cause.  The  Duke  of  Brittany  and  Lorraine  wavered 
from  side  to  side.  Money  had  run  out,  and  the  last 


XIV 


INTRODUCTION 


chance  of  success  was  staked  in  a  bold  throw  on  the 
strange  promises  of  the  young  country  girl. 

The  evidence  given  by  competent  witnesses  shows  us 
clearly  the  magnitude  of  her  achievements  during  the 
months  of  May,  June,  and  July,  1429:  the  relief  of 
Orleans;  the  victory  of  Patay  ;  the  capture  of  Troyes; 
and  the  triumphal  march  to  Rheims,  completing  her  work 
by  the  consecration  of  Charles  in  the  old  Cathedral, 
which  had  seen  so  many  of  his  predecessors  anointed 
and  crowned  within  its  walls. 

But  the  marvel  is  that  these  stupendous  achievements 
were  not  the  results  of  mere  enthusiasm,  great  and 
potent  though  that  was,  but  of  settled,  farseeing  skill  and 
prudence  on  the  part  of  Jeanne,  joined  to  a  strength  of 
soul  and  purpose  which  multiplied  the  strength  of  the 
army  tenfold. 

Like  Cromwell  she  “  new-modelled  ”  the  army.  The 
licentious  gaiety  of  the  feudal  warrior  had  to  give  way 
to  the  sobriety  and  seemliness  which  became  a  Christian 
camp.  The  voluptuary  and  the  blasphemer  had  to 
amend  their  lives.  To  revels  succeeded  prayers  and 
fasts  and  vigils.  Yet  never  for  a  moment  did  this  great 
amendment  degenerate  into  formalism  or  hypocrisy. 
Like  all  great  souls  she  awakened  latent  good  and  drove 
vice  abashed  from  her  presence  without  any  conscious 
spiritual  superiority  in  herself.  Men  were  ashamed  to 
be  base  in  such  a  presence.  Nor  did  she  ever  become  a 
law  unto  herself,  as  the  “illuminated”  are  so  apt  to  be  ; 
rather  she  was  more  than  ever  observant  of  all  the  duties 
and  claims  and  observances  of  ordinary  religious  obliga¬ 
tion,  being  ever  in  heart  the  simple  maid  whom  the  Lord 
for  His  own  mysterious  purpose,  and  without  any  merit 
of  hers,  had  chosen  for  a  mighty  task. 


INTRODUCTION 


xv 


These  great  qualities  won  for  her  the  ready  submission 
of  the  soldiers,  while  her  name  and  fame  brought  levies 
of  ardent  volunteers,  from  all  sides,  eagerly  contending 
for  the  glory  of  serving  under  such  a  leader.  Her  frame 
was  hardy  and  enduring.  She  wore  armour  night  and 
day  for  a  week  at  a  time.  She  ate  sparingly  and  drank 
hardly  at  all,  moistening  a  crust  in  wine,  or,  greatly 
fatigued,  tasting  a  little  as  a  restorative.  While  her 
woman’s  nature  showed  itself  in  her  burst  of  tears  when 
dishonouring  names  were  flung  at  her  by  some  brutal 
English  soldiers,  or  when  she  screamed  at  the  sharp  and 
sudden  pain  of  the  wound  she  received,  still  there  always 
came  a  quick  moral  reinforcement  which  restored  her 
serene  fortitude  in  the  midst  of  indignities  and  perils. 

Writers  have  differed  and  must  go  on  differing  with 
regard  to  the  scope  of  her  mission  and  the  waning  of  her 
powers  after  the  coronation  of  Rheims.  If  she  dictated 
the  letter  to  Henry  VI.  in  which  the  words  occur,  “  body 
for  body  you  will  be  driven  out  of  France,”  we  may,  by 
connecting  this  saying  with  her  famous  letter  to  the 
Hussites — in  which  she  threatened  to  chastise  them, 
“Saracens”  that  they  were,  when  her  work  was  done  and 
France  cleared  of  her  enemies — and  from  other  scattered 
phrases  as  well,  come  to  the  conclusion  that  in  her  belief 
France  was  to  be  wholly  freed,  and  freed  by  her  as  agent 
of  the  Lord.  But  the  letter  to  Henry  VI.  is  of  doubtful 
authority,  and  her  appeal  to  Charles  after  the  corona¬ 
tion  to  be  allowed  to  return  to  her  father  and  mother, 
supported  by  contemporary  authority,  seems  to  show 
that  she  looked  upon  her  work  as  done,  and  the  great 
outburst  of  weeping  in  the  Cathedral  was  in  all  likelihood 
the  sob  of  satisfied  piety  and  patriotism,  whose  cares  were 
at  an  end  and  whose  task  was  fulfilled  even  to  fruition. 


XVI 


INTRODUCTION 


This  seems  the  true  view,  with  which  also  the  latest 
French  students  agree.  Yielding  to  entreaty  she  threw 
herself  further  into  the  national  struggle.  She  was  still 
brave,  still  magnetic  and  inspiring,  but  no  longer  to 
herself  or  to  others  the  sword  in  the  hand  of  God. 

But  if  in  the  campaign  of  May  and  June  she  showed 
the  wonderful  military  genius  to  which  so  many  com¬ 
petent  witnesses  bear  testimony,  in  the  weary  winter 
of  the  same  year  she  shows  a  clearness  and  depth  of 
statesmanship  scarcely  less  astonishing.  In  moments  ol 
national  peril  there  are  always  “  wise  ”  men  who  think 
that  further  resistance  is  foolish  and  even  criminal. 
Alfred  had  to  deal  with  such  time-servers.  So  had 
Bruce,  and  so  later  on  had  Washington.  Jeanne  with 
a  sore  heart  found  herself  clogged  and  impeded  by 
these  prudent  men.  Foremost  amongst  them  was  the 
Archbishop  of  Rheims,  Régnault  de  Chartres.  His 
programme  was  one  of  reconciliation.  The  Duke  of 
Burgundy  was  to  become  the  ally  of  France,  and  as  such 
was  to  act  as  negotiator  and  intermediary  for  a  lasting 
peace  between  Henry  VI.  and  Charles  VII.  Poor 
Charles  was  weary  of  the  war,  and  lent  a  ready  ear  to 
the  accommodator.  In  vain  Jeanne  warned  him  of  the 
folly  of  these  plans.  To  strike,  and  strike  quickly,  at 
Paris  was  her  advice.  Halting  and  hesitating,  Charles 
consented.  An  army  was  placed  at  her  disposal,  but,  just 
as  victory  seemed  sure,  she  was  ordered  to  desist,  and 
Burgundy  so  duped  the  French  King  that  he  was  allowed 
to  go  through  the  French  lines  into  Paris,  ostensibly  to 
treat  for  peace,  but  in  reality,  as  the  event  proved,  to 
put  himself  under  Bedford’s  orders,  and  to  hold  Paris  as 
lieutenant  for  the  Regent  and  ally  of  the  King  of  Eng¬ 
land.  Had  Jeanne’s  advice  been  followed  this  shame- 


INTRODUCTION  xvii 

fui  treason  could  never  have  come  about.  She  had 
known  and  felt  that  the  hatred  of  the  Duke  of  Burgundy 
and  his  house  against  Charles  VII.  was  too  deep  and  too 
rooted  to  be  pulled  up  in  a  moment.  For  twenty  years 
France  had  been  distracted  by  the  factions  of  Burgundy 
and  Orleans  struggling  for  control.  Fire  and  water 
were  not  more  opposed.  Burgundy  looked  to  England, 
and  Orleans  to  France.  We  must  not  too  hastily 
condemn  these  factions.  Nations  in  the  modern  sense 
had  not  fully  arisen.  The  State  was  everything. 
Whether  a  great  Anglo-French  monarchy  sitting  in 
Paris  ruled  over  France,  England,  Ireland,  and  Wales, 
or  a  more  domestic  French  line  only  ruled  over  France 
itself,  was  a  question  on  which  upright  men  might  well 
take  opposite  sides.  Jeanne’s  special  merit  was  that  she 
saw  the  possibility  of  a  great  French  nation,  self-centred, 
self-sufficient,  and  she  so  stamped  this  message  on 
the  French  heart  that  its  characters  have  never  faded. 
Ecclesiastics,  on  the  other  hand,  with  their  conception  of 
a  Universal  Empire  and  a  Universal  Church,  thought 
little  of  National  aspirations  or  claims.  To  them,  any¬ 
thing  which  would  allay  the  bitter  rivalries  of  France  and 
England  naturally  appealed,  seeing,  as  they  did,  in  such 
a  change  the  promise  of  a  return  to  the  days  before 
the  Babylonian  captivity  at  Avignon,  and  the  bringing 
of  all  peoples  into  ready  submission  to  Peter’s  chair. 
Jeanne’s  greatness  is  nowhere  more  manifest  than  in 
her  willing  loyalty  to  the  Church  and  “  our  lord  the 
Pope,”  while  claiming  for  France  absolute  national 
independence.  Herein  she  stands  alone.  Dante’s  two 
swords  (wielded  by  Pope  and  Emperor)  were  lethal  to 
national  life.  To  the  spiritual  sword  Jeanne  bowed, 
but  to  no  Emperor  or  King  other  than  the  anointed 

b 


INTRODUCTION 


xviii 

King  of  France  could  the  loyalty  of  a  French  heart 
be  due. 

The  winter  of  1429  was  spent  in  controversies  of 
which  the  opposing  principles  of  imperialism  and 
nationality  are  the  true  keys.  In  the  early  spring, 
Jeanne,  who  had  bravely  stood  by  the  national  cause, 
and  heartened  all  who  withstood  the  party  of  com¬ 
promise  and  surrender,  saw  only  too  clearly  that  for 
the  time  the  French  hopes  of  success  had  given  way. 
That  brave  night  ride  to  relieve  Compiègne  was  in 
many  respects  a  meeting  of  fate  half  way.  No  doubt, 
she  defied  augury,  but  signs  of  impending  disaster 
multiplied  ;  and  when  she  fell  into  the  hands  of  the 
Burgundians,  she  must  have  felt  that  while  her  own 
agony  began,  the  cause  of  France  might  well  gather 
more  strength  from  her  example  as  a  sufferer,  than 
from  her  futile  struggle  against  cowardice  and  treason. 
Into  one  short  year  her  whole  astounding  public 
career  is  crowded  ;  Orleans,  Patay,  Troyes,  Rheims, 
Paris,  Compiègne  ;  glory,  exaltation,  wreckage,  and 
captivity.  But  France  was  at  the  end  of  it  a  conscious 
nation  with  an  anointed  King,  and  the  work  of  deliverance 
was  assured. 

The  Trial  and  Rehabilitation. 

The  English  had  felt  sorely  the  humiliations  of  the 
year  1429.  In  Bedford’s  report  to  the  King’s  Council 
in  London  he  told  of  those  who  were  struck  with  fear  by 
the  incantations  of  this  “  limb  of  the  fiend  ”  who  had 
startled  them  from  their  security  ;  and  proclamations 
were  issued  against  those  who  in  terror  of  the  Maid 
deserted  the  army.  Now  that  she,  who  had  worked 
such  mischief  to  them,  was  in  their  hands,  betrayed  by 


INTRODUCTION 


xix 


her  own  countrymen,1  they  wreaked  vengeance  upon 
her  without  stint. 

The  story  of  her  prison  life  is  a  record  of  shame  to  her 
gaolers.  Chained,  mocked  at,  threatened,  and  insulted, 
her  serenity  never  failed.  She  was  in  God’s  hand,  and 
she  bowed  to  His  will. 

Months  of  suffering  and  anxiety  passed  over  her  be¬ 
fore  her  captors  made  up  their  minds  as  to  the  course 
they  would  take  to  bring  about  her  death  under  the 
semblance  of  legal  execution.  If  she  could  be  convicted 
by  an  ecclesiastical  court  of  crimes  against  the  faith,  her 
condemnation  would  redound  to  the  fair  fame  of  England 
and  the  pious2  House  of  Lancaster,  while  covering  the 
French  and  their  sovereign  with  confusion  as  the  allies 
and  associates  of  a  minister  of  hell. 

1  Had  there  been  any  desire  on  the  part  of  the  French  King  to  rescue 
Jeanne  from  captivity,  a  ‘King’s  ransom,’  which  was  later  paid  for  her 
by  Cauchon,  could  scarcely  have  been  refused  in  those  days  for  a  prisoner 
of  war,  however  renowned.  Unhappily  for  the  memory  of  Charles,  she  was 
left  to  the  tender  mercies  of  the  English  without  any  offer  being  made  for 
her  release,  or  any  attempt  at  rescue.  There  existed  a  bitter  feeling  of 
jealousy  towards  Jeanne  in  consequence  of  her  great  successes  in  the  field. 
This  was  notably  shown  during  her  attack  upon  Paris,  where  she  was  thwarted 
in  every  direction,  and  all  possibility  of  victory  was  taken  from  her  by  the  con¬ 
duct  of  the  King.  Whether  or  not  Flavy,  the  Governor  of  Compïègne,  who 
was  completely  underthe  control  of  the  King,  betrayed  Jeanne  at  Compiègne, 
by  shutting  the  gates  and  closing  the  drawbridge  at  her  approach,  will  never 
be  known,  but  suspicion  has  always  pointed  to  his  betrayal  of  the  Maid. 

Alain  Bouchard  states  that,  in  the  year  1488,  he  heard  from  two  aged  men 
of  Compiègne,  who  had  themselves  been  present,  that  a  few  days  before  her 
capture,  the  Maid  was  attending  Mass  in  the  Church  of  St.  Jacques.  After 
communicating  and  spending  some  time  in  devotion,  she  turned  to  the 
assembled  congregation,  and,  leaning  against  a  pillar,  uttered  this  prediction  : 
“  My  good  friends,  my  dear  little  children,  I  am  sold  and  betrayed.  Soon 
I  shall  be  given  up  to  death.  Pray  to  God  for  me,  for  I  can  no  longer  serve 
the  King  and  the  Kingdom  of  France.” — Grandes  Annales  de  Bretagne ,  also 
Miroir  des  Femmes  Vertueuses. 

2  The  House  of  Lancaster  was  fervidly  orthodox.  Persecution  of  heretics 
begins  with  Henry  IV.  The  “  Cardinal  of  England  ”  (Beaufort  Bishop  of 
Winchester)  was  the  malleus  hereticorum  at  home  and  abroad.  He  spoke 
against  the  Hussites  at  the  Council  of  Basle,  and  he  planned  Crusades 
against  both  heretics  and  “  Saracens.” 

b  2 


XX 


INTRODUCTION 


Pliant  churchmen  were  at  hand  to  give  countenance 
and  help  in  this  undertaking— bishops  full  of  zeal  and 
loyalty  for  our  sovereign  lord  Henry  VI.,  by  the  grace 
of  God  King  of  France  and  England. 

The  worst  of  these  servile  churchmen  was  the  wretched 
Bishop  of  Beauvais,  Pierre  Cauchon.  Many  other  pre¬ 
lates  were  Caesar’s  friends,  but  he  sits  exalted  in  solitary 
infamy.  He  came  to  the  Burgundian  camp  and  claimed 
his  victim  in  the  name  of  Bedford,  Regent  of  France  for 
the  English  King.  Had  Jeanne  been  detained  by  the 
Burgundians,  it  is  impossible  to  believe  that  Charles  VII. 
would  not  have  procured  her  release.  Had  she  been 
held  as  a  prisoner  of  war  by  the  English,  it  is  very 
likely  that  the  shame  of  holding  a  woman  captive 
in  their  hands  would  have  made  it  possible  to  arrange 
for  her  ransom.  But  once  charged  with  heresy  and 
taken  out  of  the  hands  of  the  Burgundians  such  hopes 
and  chances  were  closed.  Still,  as  an  ecclesiastical 
prisoner  she  would  have  been  entitled  to  counsel  and 
guidance  by  religious  persons,  the  Church  offering  ad¬ 
monition  before  preferring  grave  charges  of  rebellion 
against  any  of  her  children.  But  this  would  render 
her  punishment  uncertain.  Grave  doctors  of  the  law  and 
eminent  churchmen  had  at  Poitiers,  after  long  inquiry,  de¬ 
clared  her  worthy  of  trust  and  they  might  do  so  again. 

Therefore  it  was  determined  that  she  should  be  held 
in  a  lay  prison  though  charged  with  an  ecclesiastical 
offence.  Cut  off  in  this  way  from  all  spiritual  help  and 
instruction,  she  was  to  be  brought,  when  the  process  was 
ripe,  before  a  well-chosen  court  bent  on  her  destruction, 
and  ready  to  entangle  her  in  questions  which  might 
entrap  her  into  erroneous  or  heretical  statements. 

And  once  more  we  are  confronted,  if  we  try  to 


INTRODUCTION 


xxi 


rationalise  her  life  and  put  away  all  belief  in  inspiration, 
with  the  amazing  problem  as  to  where  and  how  this  un¬ 
tutored  girl  drew  her  stores  of  logic,  law,  and  theology. 

The  trial  took  place  in  Rouen  Castle,1  the  seat  of 
Bedford’s  government  in  France.  The  choosing  of 
her  judges  was  committed  to  Cauchon,  who  selected  the 
most  sturdy  adherents  of  the  English.  No  formal  charge 
was  preferred,  but  Jeanne  was  interrogated.  This  course 
was  severely  condemned  by  a  distinguished  lawyer  named 
Lohier,  who  puts  clearly  before  us  the  procedure  and 
principles  that  should  govern  such  a  hearing. 

There  should  be  in  the  first  place  in  all  such  trials  a 
definite  indictment  of  the  charges  advanced  against  the 
accused,  who  in  turn  ought  to  have  due  time  to  answer 
all  the  allegations  with  the  assistance  of  counsel. 

In  Jeanne’s  particular  case,  seeing  that  she  had  been 
already  practically  tried  and  acquitted  at  Poitiers  at  a 
trial  presided  over  by  the  Archbishop  of  Rheims,  the 
metropolitan  of  the  Bishop  of  Beauvais,  it  was  putting 
her  twice  in  peril  for  the  same  offence,  and  on  the  second 
occasion  before  an  inferior  court,  a  thing  contrary  to  law 
and  reason.  Moreover  the  venue  was  wrong.  She  had 
been  captured  in  one  diocese  as  an  ecclesiastical  prisoner, 
and  she  was  to  be  tried  in  another,  and  no  assent  of  the 
chapter  of  Rouen  could  give  jurisdiction  in  such  a  case. 

1  The  court  before  which  Jeanne  was  brought  to  trial  at  Rouen  was  not  a 
court  of  the  Holy  Office  or  Inquisition,  neither  was  it,  as  the  English  courts 
for  the  trial  of  heresy  were  in  Lancastrian  times,  a  statutable  court  of  ecclesi¬ 
astical  jurisdiction  on  whose  decision,  certified  by  the  bishop,  the  sheriff  was 
bound  to  act.  It  was  a  composite  tribunal.  The  Bishop  of  Beauvais  claimed 
and  exercised  jurisdiction  as  Ordinary.  But  the  Deputy  Inquisitor  was 
joined  with  him  as  co-ordinate  judge  with  officers  of  his  own. 

The  Inquisition  arose  out  of  the  troubles  in  Spain  and  South  France, 
where  heresy  was  to  some  extent  necessarily  a  kind  of  treason  to  the  polit) 
of  Christian  Europe.  Men  were  punished  for  heretical  opinions,  but  these 
heretical  opinions  were  in  most  cases  lapses  from  allegiance  at  a  time  of 
national  peril.  The  later  Inquisition  has  no  such  excuse. 


xxn 


INTRODUCTION 


finally  she  was  in  a  lay  prison,  held  there  by  her 
C  political  enemies,  which  made  it  impossible  for  her  to 
have  the  liberty  and  spiritual  assistance  necessary  to 
meet  ecclesiastical  charges.  The  trial  ought  to  have 
been  held  in  an  ordinary  court  and  not  in  the  Castle. 

All  these  objections  are  of  great  substance  and  go 
to  the  very  root  of  the  inquiry.  But  more  vital  than 
all  was  Jeanne’s  own  expostulation  against  trial  before 
Cauchon,  who  was  her  declared  and  bitter  enemy,  and 
the  mere  instrument  of  her  foes  and  gaolers. 

Gross  however  as  the  injustice  was,  there  were  certain 
barriers  within  which  even  Cauchon  and  his  accomplices 
had  to  work  their  wicked  wills.  As  there  were  fearless 
canonists  like  Lohier,  who,  as  members  of  a  great 
international  Bar,  were  independent  of  any  King  or 
bishop,  so  the  notaries,  being  apostolic  and  imperial 
officers,  were  in  no  way  amenable  to  Cauchon  or  his 
crew.  Every  word  spoken  in  court  is  duly  and  faithfully 
recorded,  and  this  record  formed  the  basis  for  the 
petition  subsequently  presented  to  the  Pope  by  Jeanne’s 
mother  and  brother  when  seeking  amendment  of 
Cauchon’s  judgment. 

The  trial  is  one  of  the  most  enthralling  dramas  in  all 
history.  The  caution,  the  skill,  the  simplicity  withal, 
shown  by  Jeanne  in  her  answers  to  bewildering  and 
entrapping  questions,  well  earned  the  praise  bestowed 
twenty  years  later  by  the  accomplished  lawyers  who  wrote 
on  the  case,  sustaining  the  appeal  for  a  new  hearing. 

The  report  gives  all  the  details  of  the  inquiry  with 
fulness  and  accuracy,  and  when  we  carefully  examine  its 
course,  we  must  agree  with  the  canonists  who  said  that 
the  forms  of  law  were  indeed  adhered  to,  but  its  spirit 
was  grossly  violated.  The  judges  in  Jeanne’s  case 


INTRODUCTION 


xxiii 

fortified  themselves  with  the  decision  of  the  University 
of  Paris,  but  that  decision  was  procured  by  laying  before 
the  University  what  purported  to  be  the  statements  of 
Jeanne,  but  what  were  in  truth  selected  passages  from 
her  statements  torn  from  qualifying  contexts  and  often 
with  the  suppression  of  governing  words. 

Still  this  précis  was  also  part  of  the  record  of  the 
Court,  although  attempts  were  made  to  suppress  it,  and 
at  the  re-hearing  Cauchon  and  his  fellow  hirelings  were 
vehemently  condemned  for  this  nefarious  proceeding. 

By  a  sentence,  so  obtained  and  so  buttressed,  Jeanne 
d’Arc  was  done  to  death.  The  story  of  the  execution 
is  one  of  the  most  heart-rending  incidents  in  history. 
No  comment  can  deepen  or  add  to  the  pathos  of  the 
narrative  given  by  the  bystanders. 

In  1450  King  Charles  VII.  empowered  Guillaume 
Bouille,  Rector  of  the  University  of  Paris,  to  inquire  into 
the  circumstances  of  Jeanne’s  trial,  condemnation,  and 
death,  and  to  report  the  result  of  his  investigation. 

Great  lawyers  gave  their  opinions,  and  declared  the 
trial  void,  as  having  been  bad  in  substance  as  well  as  in 
form.  But  no  regular  judgment  was  pronounced. 

Again  in  1452  Pope  Nicholas  V.,  on  appeal  by  Jeanne’s 
mother,  Isabel  d’Arc,  ordered  inquiry,  which  duly  took 
place,  but  without  formal  issue. 

It  is  fortunate  for  truth  and  human  interest  that  these 
inquiries  were  abortive.  Had  they  on  general  grounds 
annulled  the  proceedings  under  Cauchon,  how  much 
would  have  been  lost  to  us  ! 

We  should  never  have  had  that  delightful  picture  of 
Domremy  given  by  the  simple  people  of  the  place.  Nor 
should  we  have,  as  we  have  now,  a  sworn  narrative  of 
Jeanne’s  private  and  public  life  laying  bare  her  very  soul. 


XXIV 


INTRODUCTION 


When  Pope  Calixtus  ordered  a  full  inquiry,  he 
seemed  to  think,  as  Newman  thought  when  writing  the 
“  Apologia,”  that  the  less  argument  and  the  more 
narrative  and  evidence  that  could  be  given  the  better  ; 
and  so,  instead  of  discussing  the  nature  of  angels,  the 
limits  of  Catholic  obedience,  the  Great  Schism,1  and  the 
assurances  of  salvation  of  the  just,  he  and  his  deputies 
put  aside  such  questions  with  patient  contempt  until 
they  first  made  sure  of  the  human  side  of  the  story. 
How  Jeanne  impressed  her  neighbours,  her  priest,  and 
her  kin  ;  what  kind  of  girl  she  was  ;  what  were  her 
employments  ;  was  she  restive  and  ambitious  or  quiet 
and  satisfied  ;  was  her  life  pure  ;  was  she  given  to 
foolish  imaginings,  or  was  she  a  sane,  modest,  unpretend¬ 
ing  country  maiden  ?  Into  all  these  things  Cauchon  had 
made  inquiries,  but  as  the  answers  were  all  favourable 
to  the  accused  he  suppressed  the  evidence. 

The  decree  of  Pope  Calixtus  has  added  a  true  romance 
to  human  story.  In  all  that  we  know  of  the  world’s 
great  ones  we  can  find  no  parallel  for  the  Maid  of 
Domremy.  Perhaps  only  in  Catholic  France  was  such 
a  heroine  possible.  Certainly  Teutonic  Protestantism 
has  as  yet  given  to  the  world  none  of  the  exalted  types 
of  radiant  and  holy  women  such  as  those  that  illuminate 
Latin  Christianity.  Whether  as  a  saint  or  a  nation- 
maker,  Jeanne’s  place  in  world-history  is  assured. 

1  The  Great  Schism  arose  out  of  the  Babylonian  captivity  at  Avignon 
(1306-1376).  Popes  and  anti-Popes  contended  for  40  years  (1378-1418). 
France  was  on  the  side  of  the  Avignon  Popes,  while  the  Empire  and  England 
supported  the  Popes  in  Rome.  Philip  the  Fair,  by  arrangement  with  the 
Pope,  changed  the  Papal  chair  to  Avignon.  During  the  seventy  years  of 
the  captivity,  when  the  Church  was  ruled  by  French  Popes,  France  under¬ 
went  the  disasters  of  Crecy  and  Poitiers,  and  became  almost  a  province 


CONTENTS 


PART  I— THE  TRIAL 

I 

FIRST  PROCESS  :  THE  LAPSE 

PAGE 

TRIAL  EX  OFFICIO .  i 

Six  Public  Examinations  ...  i 

Nine  Private  Examinations .  55 

THE  TRIAL  IN  ORDINARY .  98 

Exhortations  and  Admonitions .  106 

FINAL  SESSION  AND  SENTENCE.  RECANTATION  ...  121 

THE  SENTENCE .  129 

II 

SECOND  PROCESS:  THE  RELAPSE 

SENTENCE  OF  DEATH .  142 

SUBSEQUENT  EXAMINATIONS  AND  PROCEEDINGS 

AFTER  THE  RELAPSE .  147 

Examination  of  Witnesses .  147 


XXVI 


CONTENTS 


PART  II— THE  REHABILITATION 

r  AGE 

THE  FIRST  ENQUIRY:  1449 .  157 

Examination  of  Witnesses .  157 

THE  SECOND  ENQUIRY  :  1452  ;  AND  THIRD  ENQUIRY  : 

1455-6  .  178 

Examination  of  Witnesses . .  .  178 

DEPOSITIONS  AT  DOMREMY:  1455 .  213 

Examination  of  Witnesses .  213 

DEPOSITIONS  AT  ORLEANS  :  1455  232 

DEPOSITIONS  IN  PARIS:  1455-6 .  252 

Examination  of  Witnesses .  252 

DEPOSITIONS  AT  ROUEN  :  1455-6 .  298 

SENTENCE  OF  REHABILITATION .  321 

APPENDIX .  331 

Note  on  Original  Documents  of  the  Process  of  Con¬ 
demnation  .  331 

Note  on  the  Documents  connected  with  the  Trial  of 

Rehabilitation .  332 

Introductory  Note  to  the  Trial .  332 

Act  of  Accusation  prepared  by  the  Promoter  :  The 

*  Seventy  Articles .  341 

The  Twelve  Articles  of  Accusation .  366 

Introductory  Note  to  the  Rehabilitation .  371 

Chronological  Table  of  Principal  Events  in  the  Life 
of  Jeanne  d’Arc  . • .  377 

INDEX .  385 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


i’ACiE 


Reputed  Portrait  of  Jeanne  d’Arc . Frontispiece. 

Jeanne  d’ Arc’s  House  at  Domremy  . To  face  pa^e 

Rheims  Cathedral .  „  „ 

Church  of  Saint  Remy .  „  „ 

The  Battle  of  “Herrings.”  From  a  French  Manu¬ 
script  of  the  XVth  Century .  „  „ 

The  Maid  taken  Prisoner.  From  a  XVth  Century 


6 

5o 

5o 

53 

53 


Gate  to  the  Palace  of  Cauchon,  Bishop  of 
Beauvais . 

South  Door  of  St.  Ouen  at  Rouen . 

Court  of  Justice.  From  a  Miniature  by  Jean 
Fouquet  . 

Saint  Lucien  Tower,  Beauvais.  Jeanne  is  said  to 
have  passed  a  night  in  this  tower  on  August  20, 

1429 . 

Facsimile  of  a  Page  of  the  Process  of  Jeanne 
d’Arc . 

Château  de  Vaucouleurs,  called  the  “  Porte  de 
France” . 

Count  de  Dunois,  Bastard  of  Orleans  .  ... 

Rheims  Cathedral . . . 

Chinon . 

Orleans  Cathedral  . 

The  Count  de  Richemont,  Constable  of  France 
Charles  VII.  (Gallery  of  the  Louvre.) . 


ÎJ 


V) 


76 

128 


142 


178 


210 


îî 

î) 

>> 

î» 

>> 

î* 

5) 


222 


î  J 

ÎÏ 


232 

240 

260 

268 

280 

282 


xxviii  LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

View  of  Blois . Between  pages  284-285 

The  Bridge  of  Orleans . To  face  paçc  288 

1.  On  the  last  day  of  the  English  Siege,  Sunday, 

May  8,  1429. 

2.  Shortly  before  its  demolition  in  1760. 

Tomb  of  Pierre  Cauchon,  Bishop  of  Beauvais  .  . 

Jeanne  d’Arc.  From  a  Miniature  of  the  XVth 
Century  . 

The  Battle  of  Patay . 

La  Hire  and  Xantrailles.  From  a  XVth  Century 


IN  THE  TEXT. 


The  Old  Castle  of  Rouen .  3 

Battle  outside  Orleans .  135 

Porte  St.  Honoré  . .  157 

The  Hôtel  de  Ville  :  Compïègne .  328 


MAP. 


»  300 

»  306 

»  308 

»  308 


France:  1429-1431 


At  end  of  volume. 


Part  1 


THE  TRIAL 


ERRATA 

p.  12  I,  1.  25N 
p.  127,  1.  21 

p.  142,  1.  16  read  ‘  The'roumine  ’  instead  of  ‘  The'rou^nne.’ 
p.  208,  1.  28  1 
Index,  P.395.J 


p.  156,  1.  10  read  “In  the  Original,  the  whole  of  the  first 
Enquiry  is  in  French,  the  second  and  third  are  in  Latin.” 


Information  as  to  the  Original 
Documents  of  the  Trial  will 
be  found  in  the  Appendix , 

P-  331- 

An  Introductory  Note  on  the 
Maid's  Caphire  at  Compiègne 
and  on  the  Procedure  of  her 
Trial  is  given  in  the  Appen¬ 
dix  on p.  332. 


THE  OLD  CASTLE  OF  ROUEN'. 


I 

FIRST  PROCESS:  THE  LAPSE 

TRIAL  EX  OFFICIO 
Six  Public  Examinations 

On  Wednesday ,  February  21  st,  at  8  o'clock  in  the 
morning ,  in  the  Chapel  Royal  of  the  Castle  of  Rouen. 
The  Bishop  and  42  Assessors  present. 

We  did  first  of  all  command  to  be  read  the  Royal 
letters  conveying  surrender  and  deliverance  of  the  said 
woman  into  Our  hands  ;  afterwards  the  letters  of  the 
Chapter  of  Rouen,  making  concession  of  territory  for 
Our  benefit.  This  reading  ended,  Mtre-  Jean  d’Estivet, 
nominated  by  Us  as  Promoter  of  the  Case,  did,  in  Our 
presence,  shew  that  the  aforesaid  woman  of  the  name 
of  Jeanne  hath  been,  by  the  Executor  of  Our  Mandate, 
cited  to  appear  in  this  place  at  this  hour  and  day,  here 
to  answer,  according  to  law,  to  the  questions  to  be  put 
to  her. 


b  2 


4 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


The  said  Promoter  did  then  produce  Our  Mandate,  to 
which  is  attached  the  document  confirming  its  execution, 
and  did  read  them  all.  Our  said  Promoter  did  then 
require  that  the  said  woman  should  be  placed  before  us, 
and,  in  terms  of  the  citation,  questioned  by  Us  on  divers 
Articles  concerning  the  Faith,  to  the  which  We  did 
agree.  But  as  a  preliminary,  because  the  said  woman 
had  asked  to  hear  Mass  beforehand,  We  did  shew  to  the 
Assessors  that,  by  the  advice  of  well-known  Doctors  and 
Masters  consulted  by  Us,  it  hath  been  decided,  con¬ 
sidering  the  crimes  of  which  she  is  accused,  and  the 
impropriety  of  the  dress  which  she  is  wearing,  that  it  is 
right  to  postpone  permission  to  hear  Mass  and  to  assist 
in  Divine  Service. 

In  the  meantime,  the  said  woman  was  brought  by  the 
Executor  of  Our  Mandate,  and  set  before  Us. 

We  did  then  shew  that  the  said  Jeanne  hath  been 
lately  taken  1  in  the  territory  of  Beauvais  ;  that  many  acts 
contrary  to  the  Orthodox  Faith  have  been  committed  by 
her,  not  only  in  Our  Diocese,  but  in  many  others  ;  that 
the  public  report,  which  imputes  these  misdeeds  to  her, 
hath  spread  in  all  estates  of  Christendom  ;  that,  in  the 
last  place,  the  most  Serene  and  most  Christian  our  lord 
the  King  hath  sent  and  given  her  up  to  Us  in  order  that, 
according  to  law  and  right,  an  action  may  be  brought 
against  her  in  the  matter  of  the  JEakh-  ;  that,  acting  upon 
this  common  report,  upon  public  rumour,  and  also  on 
certain  information  obtained  by  Us,  of  which  mention 
hath  already  been  often  enough  made,  by  the  advice 
of  rnpn  versed  in  sacred  and  secular  Law,  We  have 
officially  given  commandment  to  cite  the  said  Jeanne  to 
appear  before  Us,  in  order  through  her  to  obtain  truthful 

1  It  is  agreed  by  all  authorities  that  Jeanne  was  not  captured  in  the  Diocese 
of  Beauvais,  which  ended  at  the  Bridge  of  Compiègne.  Jeanne  was  taken 
north  of  the  Bridge,  on  the  right  bank  of  the  river,  and  either  in  the  Diocese 
of  Noyon  or  Soissons,  which  of  the  two  has  not  been  determined.  The 
Bishop’s  assertion  is  distinctly  untrue. 


SIX  PUBLIC  EXAMINATIONS 


5 


answers  to  the  questions  to  be  put  to  her  in  matters  of 
the  Faith,  and  in  order  to  act  towards  her  according  to 
law  and  right  ;  which  doth  so  appear  in  the  letters  that 
the  Promoter  hath  shewn. 

Then,  desiring  in  this  particular  the  blessed  succour 
of  Jesus  Christ,  Who  is  concerned  in  this,  and  wishing 
only  to  fulfil  the  duties  of  Our  office  for  the  exaltation 
and  preservation  of  the  Catholic  Faith,  We  did  first 
charitably  warn  and  require  the  said  Jeanne,  seated  in  Our 
presence,  for  the  more  prompt  resolution  of  the  Action 
and  the  relief  of  her  own  conscience,  to  speak  the  whole 
truth  upon  all  questions  which  should  be  addressed  to 
her  touching  the  Faith  ;  and  We  did  exhort  her  to  avoid 
all  subterfuges  and  shufflings  of  such  a  nature  as  should 
turn  her  aside  from  a  sincere  and  true  avowal. 

And  in  the  first  instance  we  did  require  her,  in  the 
appointed  form,  her  hand  on  the  Holy  Gospels,  to 
swear  to  speak  truth  on  the  questions  to  be  addressed 
to  her. 

To  which  she  did  reply  : 

“  I  know  not  upon  what  you  wish  to  question  me  : 
perhaps  you  may  ask  me  of  things  which  I  ought  not  to 
tell  you.” 

“  Swear,”  We  did  then  say  to  her,  “  to  speak  truth  on 
the  things  which  shall  be  asked  you  concerning  the  Faith, 
and  of  which  you  know.” 

“  Of  my  father  and  my  mother  and  of  what  I  did  after 
taking  the  road  to  France,  willingly  will  I  swear  ;  but  of 
the  revelations  which  have  come  to  me  from  God,  to  no 
one  will  I  speak  or  reveal  them,  save  only  to  Charles 
my  King  ;  and  to  you  I  will  not  reveal  them,  even  if  it 
cost  me  my  head  ;  because  I  have  received  them  in 
visions  and  by  secret  counsel,  and  am  forbidden  to 
reveal  them.  Before  eight  days  are  gone,  I  shall  know 
if  I  may  reveal  them  to  you.” 

Again  did  We  several  times  warn  and  require  her  to 


6 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


be  willing,  on  whatsoever  should  touch  on  the  Faith,  to 
swear  to  speak  truly.  And  the  said  Jeanne,  on  her 
knees,  her  two  hands  resting  on  the  Missal,  did  swear 
to  speak  truth  on  that  which  should  be  asked  her  arid 
which  she  knew  in  the  matter  of  the  Faith ,  keeping 
silence  under  the  condition  above  stated,  that  is  to  say, 
neither  to  tell  nor  to  reveal  to  any  one  the  revelations 
made  to  her. 

After  this  oath,  Jeanne  was  interrogated  by  Us  as  to 
her  name,  and  surname,  her  place  of  birth,  the  names  of 
her  father  and  mother,  the  place  of  her  baptism,  her 
godfathers  and  godmothers,  the  Priest  who  baptized 
her,  etc.,  etc. 

“In  my  own  country  they  call  me  Jeannette;  since  I 
came  into  France  I  have  been  called  Jeanne.  Of  my 
surname  I  know  nothing.  I  was  born  1  in  the  village 
of  Domremy,  which  is  really  one  with  the  village  of 
Greux.  The  principal  Church  is  at  Greux.  My  father 
is  called  Jacques  d’Arc  ;  my  mother,  Ysabelle.  1 
was  baptized  in  the  village  of  Domremy.2  One  of  my 
godmothers 3  is  called  Agnes,  another  Jeanne,  a  third 
Sibylle.  One  of  my  godfathers  is  called  Jean  Lingué, 
another  Jean  Barrey.  1  had  many  other  godmothers,  or 
so  I  have  heard  from  my  mother.  I  was,  I  believe, 
baptized  by  Messire  Jean  Minet  ;  he  still  lives,  so  far  as 
I  know.  I  am,  I  should  say,  about  nineteen  years  of 
age.  From  my  mother  I  learned  my  Pater,  my  Ave 
Maria,  and  my  Credo.  I  believe  I  learned  all  this 
from  my  mother.” 

1  On  January  6th,  1412.  “  hi  node  Epiphiniarmn  Domini .”  (Letter 

from  Boulainvilliers  to  the  Duke  of  Milan.  Ouicherat,  vol.  v.,  1 16.) 

2  The  Font  and  Holy  water  stoup  in  the  old  Church  at  Domremy  are  said 
to  be  those  in  use  in  the  15th  century. 

3  Jeanne  appears  to  have  had  a  great  many  godparents.  In  the  Enquiry 
made  at  Domremy  in  1455,  eight  are  mentioned,  viz.  :  Jean  Morel,  Jean 
Barrey,  Jean  de  Laxart,  and  Jean  Raiguesson,  as  godfathers  ;  and  Jeannette 
Thévenin,  Jeannette  Thiesselin,  Beatrix  Estellin,  and  Edith  Barrey,  as 
godmothers. 


JEANNE  d’aRC’S  HOUSE  AT  DOMREMY. 


SIX  PUBLIC  EXAMINATIONS 


7 


“  Say  your  Pater.” 

“  Hear  me  in  confession,  and  I  will  say  it  willingly.” 

To  this  same  question,  which  was  many  times  put  to 
her,  she  always  answered  :  “  No,  I  will  not  say  my  Pater 
to  you,  unless  you  will  hear  me  in  confession.” 

“  Willingly,”  We  said  to  her,  “We  will  give  you  two 
well-known  men,  of  the  French  language,  and  before 
them  you  shall  say  your  Pater.” 

“  I  will  not  say  it  to  them,  unless  it  be  in  confession.” 

And  then  did  We  forbid  Jeanne  to  go  out  of  the 
prison  which  hath  been  assigned  to  her  in  the  Castle 
without  Our  permission,  under  pain  of  the  crime  of 
heresy.^ 

“  I  do  not  accept  such  a  prohibition,”  she  answered  ; 
“  if  ever  I  do  escape,  no  one  shall  reproach  me  with 
having  broken  or  violated  my  faith,  not  having  given  my 
word  to  any  one,  whosoever  it  may  be.” 

And  as  she  complained  that  she  had  been  fastened 
with  chains  and  fetters  of  iron,  We  said  to  her  : 

“You  have  before,  and  many  times,  sought,  We  are 
told,  to  get  out  of  the  prison,  where  you  are  detained  ; 
and  it  is  to  keep  you  more  surely  that  it  has  been  ordered 
to  put  you  in  irons.” 

“  It  is  true  I  wished  to  escape  ;  and  so  I  wish  still  :  is 
not  this  lawful  for  all  prisoners  ?  ” 

We  then  commissioned  as  her  guard  the  noble  man 
John  Gris,1  Squire,  one  of  the  Body  Guard  of  our  Lord 
the  King,  and,  with  him,  John  Berwoist  and  William 
Talbot,  whom  We  enjoined  well  and  faithfully  to  guard 
the  said  Jeanne,  and  to  permit  no  person  to  have  dealings 
with  her  without  Our  order.  Which  the  aforenamed, 
with  their  hands  on  the  Gospels,  did  solemnly  swear. 

1  John  Gris,  or  Grey,  a  gentleman  in  the  Household  of  the  Duke  of 
Bedford,  afterwards  knighted.  He  was  appointed  chief  guardian  to  the 
Maid,  with  two  assistants,  all  members  of  the  King’s  Body  Guard.  They 
appear  to  have  left  her  entirely  in  the  hands  of  the  common  soldiers  five 
of  whom  kept  constant  watch  over  her. 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


Finally,  having  accomplished  all  the  preceding,  We 
appointed  the  said  Jeanne  to  appear  the  next  day,  at 
8  o’clock  in  the  morning,  before  Us  in  the  Ornament 
Room,  at  the  end  of  the  Great  Hall  of  the  Castle  of 
Rouen. 


Thursday ,  February  22  nd,  in  the  Ornament  Room  at 
the  end  of  the  Great  Hall  of  the  Castle  of  Rotten.  The 
Bishop  and  48  Assessors  present. 

In  their  presence,  We  shewed  that  Jean  Lemaître, 
Deputy  of  the  Chief  Inquisitor,  had  been  summoned  and 
required  by  Us  to  join  himself  to  the  present  Action, 
with  Our  offer  of  communicating  to  him  all  that  hath 
been  done  hitherto  or  shall  be  done  in  the  future  ;  but 
that  the  said  Deputy  had  replied,  that,  having  been 
commissioned  by  the  Chief  Inquisitor  for  the  City  and 
Diocese  of  Rouen  only,  and  the  actual  Process  being 
deduced  by  Us  in  a  territory  which  hath  been  ceded 
to  Us  by  the  Metropolitan  Chapter,  by  reason  of 
Our  Ordinary  Jurisdiction,  as  Bishop  of  Beauvais,  he 
had  thought  it  right  to  avoid  all  nullity  and  also  for  the 
peace  of  his  own  conscience,  to  refuse  to  join  himself 
with  Us,  in  the  quality  of  Judge,  until  he  should  receive 
from  the  Chief  Inquisitor  a  Commission  and  more 
extended  powers  :  that,  nevertheless,  he  would  have  no 
objection  to  see  the  trial  continue  without  interruption. 

After  having  heard  Us  make  this  narration,  the  said 
Deputy,  being  present,  declared,  addressing  himself  to 
Us,  “That  which  you  have  just  said  is  true.  It  has 
been,  as  much  as  in  me  lies,  and  still  is,  agreeable  to  me 
that  you  should  continue  the  Trial.” 

Then  the  said  Jeanne  was  brought  before  Us. 

We  warned  and  required  her,  on  pain  of  law,  to 
make  oath  as  she  had  done  the  day  before  and  to 
swear  simply  and  absolutely  to  speak  truth  on  all  things 


SIX  PUBLIC  EXAMINATIONS 


9 


in  respect  of  which  she  should  be  asked  ;  to  which  she 
answered  : 

“  I  swore  yesterday  :  that  should  be  enough.” 

Again  We  required  her  to  swear  :  we  said  to  her,  not 
even  a  prince,  required  to  swear  in  a  matter  of  faith,  can 
refuse. 

“  I  made  oath  to  you  yesterday,”  she  answered,  “  that 
should  be  quite  enough  for  you  :  you  burden  me  over¬ 
much  !  ” 

Finally  she  made  oath  to  speak  truth  on  that  which 
touches  the  Faith. 

Then  Maître  Jean  Beaupère,  a  well-known  Professor 
of  Theology,  did,  by  Our  order,  question  the  said 
Jeanne.  This  he  did  as  follows  : 

“  First  of  all,  I  exhort  you,  as  you  have  so  sworn,  to 
tell  the  truth  on  that  which  I  am  about  to  ask  you.” 

“  You  may  well  ask  me  some  things  on  which  I  shall 
tell  you  the  truth  and  some  on  which  I  shall  not  tell 
it  you.  If  you  were  well  informed  about  me,  you  would 
wish  to  have  me  out  of  your  hands.  I  have  done 
nothing  except  by  revelation.” 

“  How  old  were  you  when  you  left  your  father’s 
house  ?  ” 

“On  the  subject  of  my  age  I  cannot  vouch.” 

“In  your  youth,  did  you  learn  any  trade?” 

“Yes,  I  learnt  to  spin  and  to  sew;  in  sewing  and 
spinning  I  fear  no  woman  in  Rouen.  For  dread  of 
the  Burgundians,  I  left  my  father’s  house  and  went 
to  the  town  of  Neufchâteau,1  in  Lorraine,  to  the  house 
of  a  woman  named  La  Rousse,  where  I  sojourned  about 
fifteen  days.  When  I  was  at  home  with  my  father,  I 
employed  myself  with  the  ordinary  cares  of  the  house. 
I  did  not  go  to  the  fields  with  the  sheep  and  the  other 

1  There  is  no  certain  date  for  this  event.  By  some  it  is  placed  between 
the  first  and  second  visits  to  Vaucouleurs,  in  1428,;  by  others,  earlier,  at  the 
time  of  the  Picard  ravages  of  the  neighbourhood  in  the  September  of  1426. 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


io 

animals.  Every  year  I  confessed  myself  to  my  own 
Curé,  and,  when  he  was  prevented,  to  another  Priest 
with  his  permission.  Sometimes,  also,  two  or  three 
times,  I  confessed  to  the  Mendicant  Friars  ;  this  was 
at  Neufchâteau.  At  Easter  I  received  the  Sacrament 
of  the  Eucharist.” 

“  Have  you  received  the  Sacrament  of  the  Eucharist 
at  any  other  Feast  but  Easter  ?  ” 

“  Pass  that  by  [ Passez  outre].  I  was  thirteen  when 
I  had  a  Voice  from  God  for  my  help  and  guidance. 
The  first  time  that  I  heard  this  Voice,  I  was  very 
much  frightened  ;  it  was  mid-day,  in  the  summer,  in 
my  father’s  garden.  I  had  not  fasted  the  day  before. 
I  heard  this  Voice  to  my  right,  towards  the  Church  ; 
rarely  do  I  hear  it  without  its  being  accompanied  also 
by  a  light.  This  light  comes  from  the  same  side  as  the 
Voice.  Generally  it  is  a  great  light.  Since  I  came  into 
France  I  have  often  heard  this  Voice.” 

“  But  how  could  you  see  this  light  that  you  speak  of, 
when  the  light  was  at  the  side  ?  ” 

To  this  question  she  answered  nothing,  but  went  on 
to  something  else.  “  If  I  were  in  a  wood,  I  could 
easily  hear  the  Voice  which  came  to  me.  It  seemed 
to  me  to  come  from  lips  I  should  reverence.  I  believe 
it  was  sent  me  from  God.  When  I  heard  it  for  the 
third  time,  I  recognized  that  it  was  the  Voice  of  an 
Angel.  This  Voice  has  always  guarded  me  well,  and 
I  have  always  understood  it  ;  it  instructed  me  to  be  good 
and  to  go  often  to  Church  ;  it  told  me  it  was  neces¬ 
sary  for  me  to  come  into  France.  You  ask  me  under 
what  form  this  Voice  appeared  to  me  ?  You  will  hear 
no  more  of  it  from  me  this  time.  It  said  to  me  two  or 
three  times  a  week:  ‘You  must  go  into  France.’  My 
father  knew  nothing  of  my  going.  The  Voice  said  to 
me:  ‘Go  into  France!’  I  could  stay  no  longer.  It 
said  to  me  :  ‘  Go,  raise  the  siege  which  is  being  made 


SIX  PUBLIC  EXAMINATIONS  n 

before  the  City  of  Orleans.  Go  !  ’  it  added,  *  to  Robert 
de  Baudricourt,1  Captain  of  Vaucouleurs  :  he  will  furnish 
you  with  an  escort  to  accompany  you.’  And  I  replied 
that  I  was  but  a  poor  girl,  who  knew  nothing  of  riding 
or  fighting.  I  went  to  my  uncle  and  said  that  I  wished 
to  stay  near  him  for  a  time.  I  remained  there  eight 
days.  I  said  to  him,  ‘  I  must  go  to  Vaucouleurs.’ 2  Lie 
took  me  there.  When  I  arrived,  I  recognized  Robert 
de  Baudricourt,  although  I  had  never  seen  him.  I 
knew  him,  thanks  to  my  Voice,  which  made  me  recog¬ 
nize  him.  I  said  to  Robert,  ‘  I  must  go  into  France!  ’ 
Twice  Robert  refused  to  hear  me,  and  repulsed  me.  The 
third  time,  he  received  me,  and  furnished  me  with  men  ; 3 
the  Voice  had  told  me  it  would  be  thus.  The  Duke  of 
Lorraine  4  gave  orders  that  I  should  be  taken  to  him.  I 
went  there.  I  told  him  that  I  wished  to  go  into  France. 
The  Duke  asked  me  questions  about  his  health  ;  but 
I  said  of  that  I  knew  nothing.  I  spoke  to  him  little  of 
my  journey.  I  told  him  he  was  to  send  his  son  with 
me,  together  with  some  people  to  conduct  me  to 
France,  and  that  I  would  pray  to  God  for  his  health. 
I  had  gone  to  him  with  a  safe-conduct  :  from  thence 

1  Robert  de  Baudricourt,  Squire,  Captain  of  Vaucouleurs  in  1428  ;  after¬ 
wards  knighted  and  made  Councillor  and  Chamberlain  to  the  King  and 
Bailly  of  Chaumont,  1454. 

2  Of  the  ancient  chateau  the  “  Porte  de  France  ”  alone  survives.  From  this 
gate  Jeanne  rode  out  with  her  escort  to  visit  the  King  at  Chinon.  The  crypt 
of  the  chapel  remains,  where  Jeanne  constantly  prayed. 

3  This  is  said  to  have  been  on  account  of  the  impression  produced  on 
him  by  Jeanne’s  prediction,  on  February  12th  :  “  To-day  the  gentle  Dauphin 
hath  had  great  hurt  near  the  town  of  Orleans,  and  yet  greater  will  he  have  if 
you  do  not  soon  send  me  to  him.”  This  “  great  hurt  ”  proved  to  be  the 
Battle  of  Rouvray,  in  which  the  French  and  Scottish  troops  were  defeated 
by  the  English  under  Sir  John  Fastolf. 

4  Charles  I.,  the  reigning  Duke  de  Lorraine  in  1428,  was  in  very  bad 
health,  and,  having  no  son,  the  succession  was  a  matter  of  some  anxiety. 
He  died  in  1431,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son-in-law,  Réné  of  Anjou,  who 
had  married  his  only  daughter,  Isabella.  This  Réné  was  a  brother  of  Queen 
Mary,  wife  of  Charles  VII.,  and  father  of  our  own  Oueen  Margaret,  married 
in  1441  to  Henry  VI. 


12 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


I  returned  to  Vaucouleurs.  From  Vaucouleurs  I  de¬ 
parted,  dressed  as  a*  man,  armed  with  a  sword  given 
me  by  Robert  de  Baudricourt,  but  without  other  arms. 
I  had  with  me  a  Knight,1  a  Squire,  and  four  servants, 
with  whom  I  reached  the  town  of  Saint  Urbain,  where 
I  slept  in  an  Abbey.  On  the  way,  I  passed  through 
Auxerre,  where  I  heard  Mass  in  the  principal  Church. 
Thenceforward  I  often  heard  my  Voices.” 

“  Who  counselled  you  to  take  a  man’s  dress  ?  ” 

To  this  question  she  several  times  refused  to  answer. 
In  the  end,  she  said  :  “  With  that  I  charge  no  one.” 
Many  times  she  varied  in  her  answers  to  this  question. 
Then  she  said  : 

“  Robert  de  Baudricourt  made  those  who  went  with 
me  swear  to  conduct  me  well  and  safely.  ‘  Go,’  said 
Robert  de  Baudricourt  to  me,  ‘  Go  !  and  let  come  what 
may  !  ’  I  know  well  that  God  loves  the  Duke  of 
Orleans  ;  I  have  had  more  revelations  about  the  Duke 
of  Orleans  than  about  any  man  alive,  except  my  King. 
It  was  necessary  for  me  to  change  my  woman’s  garments 
for  a  man’s  dress.  My  counsel  thereon  said  well.  I 
sent  a  letter  to  the  English  before  Orleans,2  to  make 
them  leave,  as  may  be  seen  in  a  copy  of  my  letter  which 
has  been  read  to  me  in  this  City  of  Rouen  ;  there  are, 
nevertheless,  two  or  three  words  in  this  copy  which  were 
not  in  my  letter.  Thus,  ‘  Surrender  to  the  Maid,’  should 
be  replaced  by  ‘  Surrender  to  the  King.’  The  words, 

‘  body  for  body  ’  and  ‘  chieftain  in  war  ’  were  not  in  my 
letter  at  all.3 

“  I  went  without  hindrance  to  the  King.  Having 
arrived  at  the  village  of  Saint  Catherine  de  Fierbois,  I 

1  Jean  de  Novelomport,  called  de  Metz,  Bertrand  de  Poulengey,  Colet  de 
Vienne,  the  King’s  Messenger,  and  three  servants. 

2  March  22nd,  1428. 

3  This  letter  appears  later,  p.  36.  Jeanne  may  have  forgotten  its  con¬ 
tents,  as  both  these  expressions  occur  ;  or  the  Clerics  who  acted  as  her 
amanuenses  may  have  inserted  them  without  her  knowledge. 


SIX  PUBLIC  EXAMINATIONS 


i3 


sent  for  the  first  time  to  the  Castle  of  Chinon,1  where 
the  King  was.  I  got  there  towards  mid-day,  and  lodged 
first  at  an  inn.  After  dinner,  I  went  to  the  King,  who 
was  at  the  Castle.  When  I  entered  the  room  where  he 
was  I  recognized  him  among  many  others  by  the  counsel 
of  my  Voice,  which  revealed  him  to  me.  I  told  him 
that  I  wished  to  go  and  make  war  on  the  English.” 

“  When  the  Voice  shewed  you  the  King,  was  there 
any  light  ?  ” 

“  Pass  on.” 

“  Did  you  see  an  Angel  over  the  King  ?  ” 

“  Spare  me.  Pass  on.  Before  the  King  set  me  to 
work,  he  had  many  apparitions  and  beautiful  revela¬ 
tions.” 

“  What  revelations  and  apparitions  had  the  King  ?  ” 

“  I  will  not  tell  you  ;  it  is  not  yet  time  to  answer  you 
about  them  ;  but  send  to  the  King,  and  he  will  tell  you. 
The  Voice  had  promised  me  that,  as  soon  I  came  to  the 
King,  he  would  receive  me.  Those  of  my  party  knew 
well  that  the  Voice  had  been  sent  me  from  God  ;  they 
have  seen  and  known  this  Voice,  I  am  sure  of  it.  My 
King  and  many  others  have  also  heard  and  seen  the 
Voices  which  came  to  me  :  there  were  there  Charles  de 
Bourbon  2  and  two  or  three  others.  There  is  not  a  day 
when  I  do  not  hear  this  Voice;  and  I  have  much  need  of 
it.  But  never  have  I  asked  of  it  any  recompense  but 
the  salvation  of  my  soul.  The  Voice  told  me  to  remain 
at  Saint-Denis,  in  France  ;  I  wished  to  do  so,  but, 
against  my  will,  the  Lords  made  me  leave.  If  I  had 

1  Jeanne  was  entertained  by  command  of  the  King  in  a  small  room  on 
the  first  floor  of  the  Tour  de  Coudray,  within  the  Castle  walls.  Her  room 
was  approached  by  a  staircase  outside  the  tower.  The  vaulted  roof  of  the 
room  has  fallen  in  and  the  fireplace  is  in  ruins,  but  the  room  could  easily  be 
restored.  Jeanne  stayed  here  from  March  8th  to  April  20th,  1429.  She 
was  two  days  at  Chinon  before  she  obtained  access  to  the  King. 

2  Charles  de  Bourbon,  Count  de  Clermont,  Governor  of  the  Duchy  of  the 
Bourbonnais  and  the  Comté  of  Auvergne,  during  the  captivity  of  his  father 
in  England. 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


H 

not  been  wounded,  I  should  never  have  left.  After 
having  quitted  Saint-Denis,  I  was  wounded  in  the 
trenches  before  Paris  ;T  but  I  was  cured  in  five  days. 
It  is  true  that  I  caused  an  assault  to  be  made  before 
Paris.” 

“  Was  it  a  Festival  that  day  ?  ” 

“  I  think  it  was  certainly  a  Festival.” 

“  Is  it  a  good  thing  to  make  an  assault  on  a 
Festival  ?  ” 

“  Pass  on.” 

And  as  it  appeared  that  enough  had  been  done  for 
to-day,  We  have  postponed  the  affair  to  Saturday  next, 
at  8  o’clock  in  the  morning. 


Saturday ,  24//Z  February,  in  the  same  place.  The 
Bishop  and  62  Assessors  present. 

In  their  presence  We  did  require  the  aforenamed 
Jeanne  to  swear  to  speak  the  truth  simply  and  absolutely 
on  the  questions  to  be  addressed  to  her,  without  adding 
any  restriction  to  her  oath.  We  did  three  times  thus 
admonish  her.  She  answered  : 

“  Give  me  leave  to  speak.  By  my  faith  !  you  may 
well  ask  me  such  things  as  I  will  not  tell  you.  Per¬ 
haps  on  many  of  the  things  you  may  ask  me  I  shall 
not  tell  you  truly,  especially  on  those  that  touch  on  my 
revelations  ;  for  you  may  constrain  me  to  say  things 
that  I  have  sworn  not  to  say  ;  then  I  should  be  per¬ 
jured,  which  you  ought  not  to  wish.”  [Addressing  the 
Bishop  :]  “  I  tell  you,  take  good  heed  of  what  you  say, 
you,  who  are  my  Judge  ;2  you  take  a  great  responsibility 
in  thus  charging  me.  I  should  say  that  it  is  enough 
to  have  sworn  twice.” 

1  On  September  8th,  1429. 

2  Up  to  the  end  of  her  life,  Jeanne  spoke  of  the  Bishop  as  the  person 
responsible  for  her  trial  and  death.  “  Bishop,  I  die  through  you,”  was  her 
last  speech  to  him,  on  May  30th,  the  day  of  her  martyrdom. 


SIX  PUBLIC  EXAMINATIONS 


U 

“  Will  you  swear,  simply  and  absolutely  ?  ” 

“  You  may  surely  do  without  this.  I  have  sworn 
enough  already  twice.  All  the  clergy  of  Rouen  and 
Paris  cannot  condemn  me  if  it  be  not  law.  Of  my 
coming  into  France  I  will  speak  the  truth  willingly  ; 
but  I  will  not  say  all  :  the  space  of  eight  days  would 
not  suffice.” 

“  Take  the  advice  of  the  Assessors,  whether  you 
should  swear  or  not.” 

“  Of  my  coming  I  will  willingly  speak  truth,  but  not 
of  the  rest  ;  speak  no  more  of  it  to  me.” 

“You  render  yourself  liable  to  suspicion  in  not  being 
willing  to  swear  to  speak  the  truth  absolutely.” 

“  Speak  to  me  no  more  of  it.  Pass  on.” 

“  We  again  require  you  to  swear,  precisely  and 
absolutely.” 

“  I  will  say  willingly  what  I  know,  and  yet  not  all.  I 
am  come  in  God’s  name  ;  I  have  nothing  to  do  here  ; 
let  me  be  sent  back  to  God,  whence  I  came.” 

“Again  we  summon  and  require  you  to  swear,  under 
pain  of  going  forth  charged  with  that  which  is  imputed 
to  you.” 

“  Pass  on.” 

“  A  last  time  we  require  you  to  swear,  and  urgently 
admonish  you  to  speak  the  truth  on  all  that  concerns 
your  trial  ;  you  expose  yourself  to  a  great  peril  by  such 
a  refusal.” 

“  I  am  ready  to  speak  truth  on  what  I  know  touching 
the  trial.” 

And  in  this  manner  was  she  sworn. 

Then,  by  Our  order,  she  was  questioned  by  Maître 
Jean  Beaupère,  a  well-known  Doctor,  as  follows  : 

“  How  long  is  it  since  you  have  had  food  and  drink?”1 

1  This,  and  a  subsequent  enquiry,  on  February  27th,  as  to  Jeanne’s  habit 
of  fasting,  would  seem  to  suggest  a  desire  on  the  part  of  the  questioner  to 
prove  that  her  visions  had  a  more  or  less  physical  cause  in  a  weak  bodily 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


16 


“  Since  yesterday  afternoon.” 

“  How  long  is  it  since  you  heard  your  Voices  ?  ” 

“  I  heard  them  yesterday  and  to-day.” 

“  At  what  hour  yesterday  did  you  hear  them  ?  ” 
“Yesterday  I  heard  them  three  times, — once  in  the 
morning,  once  at  Vespers,  and  again  when  the  Ave 
Maria  rang  in  the  evening.  I  have  even  heard  them 
oftener  than  that.” 

“  What  were  you  doing  yesterday  morning  when  the 
Voice  came  to  you?” 

“  I  was  asleep  :  the  Voice  awoke  me.” 

“  Was  it  by  touching  you  on  the  arm  ?  ” 

“  It  awoke  me  without  touching  me.” 

“  Was  it  in  your  room  ?  ” 

“  Not  so  far  as  I  know,  but  in  the  Castle.” 

“  Did  you  thank  it  ?  and  did  you  go  on  your  knees  ?  ” 
“  I  did  thank  it.  I  was  sitting  on  the  bed  ;  I  joined 
my  hands  ;  I  implored  its  help.  The  Voice  said  to  me  : 
‘  Answer  boldly.’  I  asked  advice  as  to  how  I  should 
answer,  begging  it  to  entreat  for  this  the  counsel  of  the 
Lord.  The  Voice  said  to  me  :  ‘  Answer  boldly  ;  God 
will  help  thee.’  Before  I  had  prayed  it  to  give  me 
counsel,  it  said  to  me  several  words  I  could  not  readily 
understand.  After  I  was  awake,  it  said  to  me  :  ‘  Answer 
boldly.’  ”  [Addressing  herself  to  Us,  the  said  Bishop  :] 
“You  say  you  are  my  judge.  Take  care  what  you  are 
doing  ;  for  in  truth  I  am  sent  by  God,  and  you  place 
yourself  in  great  danger.” 

Maître  Beaupère,  continuing,  said  : 

“  Has  this  Voice  sometimes  varied  in  its  counsel  ?  ” 

“  I  have  never  found  it  give  two  contrary  opinions. 
.  .  .  This  night  again  I  heard  it  say  :  ‘  Answer  boldly.’  ” 


state  resulting  from  abstinence.  As  Jeanne’s  usual  food  consisted  of  a 
little  bread  dipped  in  wine  and  water,  and  as  she  is  reported  to  have 
had  when  at  home  (not  in  war)  but  one  meal  a  day,  it  need  hardly  be 
supposed  that  she  suffered  much  from  the  results  of  a  Lenten  Fast. 


SIX  PUBLIC  EXAMINATIONS 


i7 

“  Has  your  Voice  forbidden  you  to  say  everything  on 
what  you  are  asked  ?  ” 

“  I  will  not  answer  you  about  that.  I  have  revelations 
touching  the  King  that  I  will  not  tell  you.” 

“  Has  it  forbidden  you  to  tell  those  revelations  ?  ” 

“  I  have  not  been  advised  about  these  things.  Give 
me  a  delay  of  fifteen  days,1  and  I  will  answer  you.  If 
my  Voice  has  forbidden  me,  what  would  you  say  about 
it  ?  Believe  me,  it  is  not  men  who  have  forbidden 
me.  To-day  I  will  not  answer  :  I  do  not  know  if  I 
ought,  or  not  ;  it  has  not  been  revealed  to  me.  But 
as  firmly  as  I  believe  in  the  Christian  Faith  and  that 
God  hath  redeemed  us  from  the  pains  of  Hell,  that 
Voice  hath  come  to  me  from  God  and  by  His 
Command.” 

“  The  Voice  that  you  say  appears  to  you,  does  it  come 
directly  from  an  Angel,  or  directly  from  God  ;  or  does  it 
come  from  one  of  the  Saints  ?  ” 

“  The  Voice  comes  to  me  from  God  ;  and  I  do  not 
tell  you  all  I  know  about  it  :  I  have  far  greater  fear  of 
doing  wrong  in  saying  to  you  things  that  would  dis¬ 
please  it,  than  I  have  of  answering  you.  As  to  this 
question,  I  beg  you  to  grant  me  delay.” 

“  Is  it  displeasing  to  God  to  speak  the  truth  ?  ” 

“  My  Voices  have  entrusted  to  me  certain  things  to 
tell  to  the  King,  not  to  you.  This  very  night  they  told 
me  many  things  for  the  welfare  of  my  King,  which  I 
would  he  might  know  at  once,  even  if  I  should  drink 
no  wine  until  Easter,  .  .  .  the  King  would  be  the  more 
joyful  at  his  dinner  !  ” 

“  Can  you  not  so  deal  with  your  Voices  that  they  will 
convey  this  news  to  your  King  ?  ” 

“  I  know  not  if  the  Voice  would  obey,  and  if  it  be 

1  The  fifteen  days’  respite  would  coincide  with  the  first  Examination  held 
in  the  Prison,  May  10th,  the  first  day  on  which  the  Allegory  of  the  Sign  was 
given. 

C 


1 8 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


God’s  Will.  If  it  please  God,  He  will  know  how  to 
reveal  it  to  the  King,  and  I  shall  be  well  content.” 

“  Why  does  not  this  Voice  speak  anymore  to  your 
King,  as  it  did  when  you  were  in  his  presence  ?” 

“  I  do  not  know  if  it  be  the  Will  of  God.  Without 
the  grace  of  God  I  should  not  know  how  to  do  any¬ 
thing.” 

“  Has  your  counsel  revealed  to  you  that  you  will 
escape  from  prison  ?  ” 

“  I  have  nothing  to  tell  you  about  that.” 

“  This  night,  did  your  Voice  give  you  counsel  and 
advice  as  to  what  you  should  answer  ?  ” 

“If  it  did  give  me  advice  and  counsel  thereon,  I  did 
not  understand.” 

“  The  last  two  occasions  on  which  you  have  heard  this 
Voice,  did  a  brightness  come  ?  ” 

“  The  brightness  comes  at  the  same  time  as  the  Voice.” 

“  Besides  the  Voice,  do  you  see  anything  ?  ” 

“  I  will  not  tell  you  all  ;  I  have  not  leave  ;  my  oath 
does  not  touch  on  that.  My  Voice  is  good  and  to  be 
honoured.  I  am  not  bound  to  answer  you  about  it.  I 
request  that  the  points  on  which  I  do  not  now  answer 
may  be  given  me  in  writing.” 

“  The  Voice  from  whom  you  ask  counsel,  has  it  a  face 
and  eyes  ?  ” 

“You  shall  not  know  yet.  There  is  a  saying  among 
children,  that  ‘  Sometimes  one  is  hanged  for  speaking 
the  truth.’” 

“  Do  you  know  if  you  are  in  the  grace  of  God  ?  ” 

“  If  I  am  not,  may  God  place  me  there  ;  if  I  am,  may 
God  so  keep  me.  I  should  be  the  saddest  in  all  the 
world  if  I  knew  that  I  were  not  in  the  grace  of  God. 
But  if  I  were  in  a  state  of  sin,  do  you  think  the  Voice 
would  come  to  me  ?  I  would  that  every  one  could  hear 
the  Voice  as  I  hear  it.  I  think  I  was  about  thirteen 
when  it  came  to  me  for  the  first  time.” 


SIX  PUBLIC  EXAMINATIONS 


19 

“In  your  youth,  did  you  play  in  the  fields  with  the 
other  children  ?  ” 

“  I  certainly  went  sometimes,  I  do  not  know  at  what 
age.” 

“  Do  the  Domremy  people  side  with  the  Burgundians 
or  with  the  opposite  party  ?  ” 

“  I  knew  only  one  Burgundian 1  at  Domremy  :  I 
should  have  been  quite  willing  for  them  to  cut  off  his 
head — always  had  it  pleased  God.” 

“  The  Maxey  people,  were  they  Burgundians,  or 
opposed  to  the  Burgundians  ?  ” 

“  They  were  Burgundians.  As  soon  as  I  knew  that 
my  Voices  were  for  the  King  of  France,  I  loved  the 
Burgundians  no  more.  The  Burgundians  will  have  war 
unless  they  do  what  they  ought  ;  I  know  it  by  my  Voice. 
The  English  were  already  in  France  when  my  Voices 
began  to  come  to  me.  I  do  not  remember  being  with 
the  children  of  Domremy  when  they  went  to  fight 
against  those  of  Maxey  for  the  French  side  :  but  I 
certainly  saw  the  Domremy  children  who  had  fought 
with  those  of  Maxey  coming  back  many  times,  wounded 
and  bleeding.” 

“  Had  you  in  your  youth  any  intention  of  fighting  the 
Burgundians  ?  ” 

“  I  had  a  great  will  and  desire  that  my  King  should 
have  his  own  Kingdom.” 

“  When  you  had  to  come  into  France,  did  you  wish 
to  be  a  man  ?  ” 

“  I  have  answered  this  elsewhere.” 

“  Did  you  not  take  the  animals  to  the  fields  ?  ” 

“  I  have  already  answered  this  also.  When  I  was 
bigger  and  had  come  to  years  of  discretion,  I  did  not 
look  after  them  generally  ;  but  I  helped  to  take  them  to 

1  Gérardin  of  Epinal,  to  whose  child  Jeanne  was  godmother,  is  probably 
the  person  alluded  to  ;  he  gave  witness  in  1455  that  Jeanne  had  called  him 
“  Burgundian.” 


C  2 


20 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


the  meadows  and  to  a  Castle  called  the  Island,1  for  fear 
of  the  soldiers.  I  do  not  remember  if  I  led  them  in  my 
childhood  or  no.” 

“What  have  you  to  say  about  a  certain  tree  which 
is  near  to  your  village  ?  ” 

“Not  far  from  Domremy  there  is  a  tree2  that  they 
call  ‘The  Ladies’  Tree’ — others  call  it  ‘The  Fairies’ 
Tree’;  near  by,  there  is  a  spring  where  people  sick 
of  the  fever  come  to  drink,  as  I  have  heard,  and  to 
seek  water  to  restore  their  health.  I  have  seen  them 
myself  come  thus  ;  but  I  do  not  know  if  they  were 
healed.  I  have  heard  that  the  sick,  once  cured,  come 
to  this  tree3  to  walk  about.  It  is  a  beautiful  tree,  a 
beech,  from  which  comes  the  ‘  beau  may  ’ — it  belongs 
to  the  Seigneur  Pierre  de  Bourlement,4  Knight.  I 
have  sometimes  been  to  play  with  the  young  girls,  to 
make  garlands  for  Our  Lady  of  Domremy.  Often  I 
have  heard  the  old  folk — they  are  not  of  my  lineage — say 
that  the  fairies  haunt  this  tree.  I  have  also  heard  one  of 
my  Godmothers,  named  Jeanne,  wife  of  the  Maire  Aubery 
of  Domremy,  say  that  she  has  seen  fairies  there  ;  whether 

1  A  small  fortress  in  an  island  formed  by  two  arms  of  the  Meuse,  nearly 
opposite  the  village  of  Domremy. 

2  According  to  local  tradition,  this  tree  stood  to  within  the  last  50  years, 
and  was  struck  by  lightning  ;  another  has  been  planted  in  its  place.  The 
house,  in  which  Jeanne  was  born,  remained  in  the  possession  of  the  De 
Lys  family  till  the  16th  Century,  when  it  passed  into  the  hands  of  the 
Count  de  Salm,  Seigneur  of  Domremy.  In  the  18th  Century  it  became 
the  property  of  Jean  Gerardin,  whose  grandson,  Nicolas,  gave  it  up  in 
1818  to  the  Department  of  Vosges  ;  so  that  it  is  now  preserved  as  National 
property. 

3  This  is  probably  a  survival  of  the  Fontinalia,  an  old  Latin  festival.  The 
custom  of  decorating  the  wells  and  springs  was  kept  up  in  England  until  the 
last  century,  and  still  exists  in  a  few  remote  villages.  The  name  ‘Well 
Sunday  ’  survives,  though  the  processions  of  youths  and  maidens  have  long 
passed  away.  The  ‘  fontaine  aux  Groseilliers  ’  is  still  in  existence.  It  is 
an  oblong  tank  of  water,  with  the  original  spring  flowing  through  it.  The 
great  beech  tree  stood  close  by. 

4  Pierre  de  Bourlement,  Head  of  the  ancient  house  of  Bassigny,  and  Lord 
of  the  Manor  of  Bourlement.  He  was  the  last  of  his  race. 


SIX  PUBLIC  EXAMINATIONS  21 

it  be  true,  I  do  not  know.  As  for  me,  I  never  saw 
them  that  I  know  of.  If  I  saw  them  anywhere  else,  I 
do  not  know.  I  have  seen  the  young  girls  putting  gar¬ 
lands  on  the  branches  of  this  tree,  and  I  myself  have  some¬ 
times  put  them  there  with  my  companions  ;  sometimes 
we  took  these  garlands  away,  sometimes  we  left  them. 
Ever  since  I  knew  that  it  was  necessary  for  me  to  come 
into  France,  I  have  given  myself  up  as  little  as  possible 
to  these  games  and  distractions.  Since  I  was  grown  up, 
I  do  not  remember  to  have  danced  there.  I  may  have 
danced  there  formerly,  with  the  other  children.  I  have 
sunof  there  more  than  danced.  There  is  also  a  wood 

o 

called  the  Oak-wood,  which  can  be  seen  from  my  father’s 
door  ;  it  is  not  more  than  half-a-league  away.  I  do  not 
know,  and  have  never  heard  if  the  fairies  appear  there  ; 
but  my  brother  told  me  that  it  is  said  in  the  neighbour¬ 
hood  :  ‘Jeannette  received  her  mission  at  the  Fairies’ 
Tree.’  It  is  not  the  case  ;  and  I  told  him  the  contrary. 
When  I  came  before  the  King,  several  people  asked  me 
if  there  were  not  in  my  country  a  wood,  called  the  Oak- 
wood,  because  there  were  prophecies  1  which  said  that 
from  the  neighbourhood  of  this  wood  would  come  a 
maid  who  should  do  marvellous  things.  I  put  no  faith 
in  that.” 

“  Would  you  like  to  have  a  woman’s  dress  ?  ” 

“Give  me  one,  and  I  will  take  it  and  begone  ;  other- 


1  Merlin  had  foretold  the  coming  of  a  maiden  out  of  an  Oak-wood 
from  Lorraine  ;  and  a  paper  containing  a  prophecy  to  this  effect  had 
been  sent,  at  the  beginning  of  Jeanne’s  career,  to  the  English  Commander, 
the  Earl  of  Suffolk.  There  was  also  an  old  prophecy  (quoted  by  Jeanne 
herself  to  Catharine  Leroyer)  that  France,  which  had  been  “lost  by  a 
woman,  should  be  saved  by  a  Maid.”  The  conduct  of  Isabeau  of  Bavaria, 
wife  of  Charles  VI.,  might  certainly  be  said  to  have  fulfilled  the  first  half  of 
this  prophecy  ;  and  a  tradition  in  the  eastern  counties  that  “  deliverance 
should  come  from  a  maid  of  the  Marches  of  Lorraine  ”  must  have  directed 
many  hopes  to  the  mission  of  the  Maiden  from  Domremy,  though  she 
herself  does  not  seem  to  have  known  of  the  last  prediction  until  some  time 
later.  The  Oak-wood  covers  the  hills  above  Domremy  to  this  day. 


22 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


wise,  no.  I  am  content  with  what  I  have,  since  it 
pleases  God  that  I  wear  it.” 

This  done,  We  stayed  the  interrogation,  and  put  off 
the  remainder  to  Tuesday  next,  on  which  day  We  have 
convoked  all  the  Assessors,  at  the  same  place  and  hour. 


Tuesday ,  February  27  th,  in  the  same  place.  The 
Bishop  and  54  Assessors  present. 

In  their  presence,  We  required  the  said  Jeanne  to 
swear  to  tell  the  truth  on  everything  touching  her 
Trial. 

“Willingly  will  I  swear,”  she  answered,  “to  tell  the 
truth  on  everything  touching  the  trial,  but  not  upon  all 
that  I  know." 

We  required  her  again  to  speak  the  truth  on  all  which 
should  be  asked  of  her. 

“You  ought  to  be  satisfied,”  she  answered.  “  I  have 
sworn  enough.” 

Then,  by  Our  order,  Maître  Beaupère  began  to  ques¬ 
tion  her.  And  first  he  inquired  of  her,  how  she  had 
been  since  the  Saturday  before  ? 

“You  can  see  for  yourself  how  I  am.  I  am  as  well 
as  can  be.” 

“  Do  you  fast  every  day  this  Lent  ?” 

“  Is  that  in  the  Case  ?  Well,  yes  !  I  have  fasted 
every  day  during  this  Lent.” 

“  Have  you  heard  your  Voices  since  Saturday  ?  ” 

“Yes,  truly,  many  times.” 

“  Did  you  hear  them  on  Saturday  in  this  hall,  where 
you  were  being  examined  ?” 

“  That  is  not  in  your  Case.  Very  well,  then — yes  !  I 
did  hear  them.” 

“  What  did  your  Voice  say  to  you  last  Saturday  ?  ” 

“  I  did  not  quite  understand  it  ;  and  up  to  the  moment 


SIX  PUBLIC  EXAMINATIONS 


23 

when  I  returned  to  my  room,  I  heard  nothing  that  I  may 
repeat  to  you.” 

“  What  did  it  say  to  you  in  your  room,  on  your 
return  ? ” 

‘It  said  to  me,  ‘Answer  them  boldly.’  I  take 
counsel  with  my  Voice  about  what  you  ask  me.  I  will 
tell  willingly  whatever  I  shall  have  permission  from  God 
to  reveal  ;  as  to  the  revelations  concerning  the  King  of 
France,  I  will  not  tell  them  without  the  permission  of 
my  Voice.” 

“  Has  your  Voice  forbidden  you  to  tell  everything  ?” 

“  I  did  not  quite  understand  it.” 

“  What  did  your  Voice  last  say  to  you  ?  ” 

“  I  asked  counsel  about  certain  things  that  you  had 
asked  me.” 

“  Did  it  give  you  counsel  ?  ” 

“  On  some  points,  yes  ;  on  others  you  may  ask  me  for 
an  answer  that  I  shall  not  give,  not  having  had  leave. 
For,  if  I  answered  without  leave,  I  should  no  longer 
have  my  Voices  as  warrant.  When  I  have  permission 
from  Our  Saviour,  I  shall  not  fear  to  speak,  because  I 
shall  have  warrant.” 

“  This  Voice  that  speaks  to  you,  is  it  that  of  an  Angel, 
or  of  a  Saint,  or  from  God  direct  ?  ” 

“It  is  the  Voice  of  Saint  Catherine  and  of  Saint 
Margaret.1  Their  faces  are  adorned  with  beautiful 
crowns,  very  rich  and  precious.  To  tell  you  this  I  have 
leave  from  Our  Lord.  If  you  doubt  this,  send  to 
Poitiers,  where  I  was  examined  before.” 

“  How  do  you  know  if  these  were  the  two  Saints  ? 
How  do  you  distinguish  one  from  the  other?” 

“  I  know  quite  well  it  is  they  ;  and  I  can  easily 
distinguish  one  from  the  other.” 

“  How  do  you  distinguish  them  ?  ” 

1  This  is  the  first  identification  of  the  “revelations”  with  any  name; 
Jeanne  had  always  spoken  of  her  “Voices”  or  her  “  Counsel.” 


24 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


“  By  the  greeting  they  give  me.  It  is  seven  years 
now  since  they  have  undertaken  to  guide  me.  I  know 
them  well  because  they  were  named  to  me.” 

“  Are  these  two  Saints  dressed  in  the  same  stuff?  ” 

“  I  will  tell  you  no  more  just  now  ;  I  have  not 
permission  to  reveal  it.  If  you  do  not  believe  me,  go  to 
Poitiers.  There  are  some  revelations  which  come  to 
the  King  of  France,  and  not  to  you,  who  are  questioning 
me. 

“  Are  they  of  the  same  age  ?  ” 

“  I  have  not  leave  to  say.” 

“  Do  they  speak  at  the  same  time,  or  one  after  the 
other  ? ” 

“  I  have  not  leave  to  say  ;  nevertheless,  I  have  always 
had  counsel  from  them  both.” 

“  Which  of  them  appeared  to  you  first  ?  ” 

“  I  did  not  distinguish  them  at  first.  I  knew  well 
enough  once,  but  I  have  forgotten.  If  I  had  leave,  I 
would  tell  you  willingly  :  it  is  written  in  the  Register  at 
Poitiers.1  I  have  also  received  comfort  from  Saint 
Michael.” 


1  This  Examination  at  Poitiers  had  taken  place  in  the  Chapel  attached  to 
the  Palace  of  the  Counts  of  Poitou,  which  still  exists  and  adjoins  the  ‘  Salle 
des  Pas  Perdus,’  now  the  Great  Hall  of  the  Palais  de  Justice.  It  was 
conducted  under  the  direction  of  the  Archbishop  of  Rheims  during  the 
months  of  March  and  April,  1429,  and  extended  over  three  weeks.  At 
the  conclusion,  the  assembly  sent,  as  the  result  of  their  inquiries,  a  resolution 
to  the  King  to  the  effect  that  he  should  follow  the  Maid’s  guidance,  and 
seek  for  the  sign  she  promised  him  in  the  relief  of  Orleans,  as  a  proof  of 
the  Divine  origin  of  her  mission,  “for,”  they  added,  “to  doubt  or  forsake  her 
without  any  appearance  of  evil  would  be  to  vex  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  to  make 
himself  unworthy  of  the  help  of  God  :  so  saith  Gamaliel  in  the  Council  of 
the  Jews  with  regard  to  the  Apostles.” 

Unfortunately,  no  trace  of  this  Examination  has  been  found  :  the  'Book 
of  Poitiers  ’  is  referred  to  several  times  in  the  Trial;  but  it  was  not  forth¬ 
coming  at  the  time  of  the  Rehabilitation.  It  was  probably  lost  or  destroyed 
by  Jeanne’s  enemies  among  her  own  party.  The  Archbishop  of  Rheims 
would  have  had  it  in  his  charge  :  and  he  was  consistently  opposed  to  Jeanne 
throughout. 

During  her  stay  at  Poitiers  the  Maid  lodged  in  the  house  of  Jean  Rabatier. 


SIX  PUBLIC  EXAMINATIONS 


25 

“  Which  of  these  two  appearances  came  to  you 
first  ?  ” 

“  Saint  Michael.” 

“  Is  it  a  long  time  since  you  first  heard  the  voice  of 
Saint  Michael  ?  ” 

“  I  did  not  say  anything  to  you  about  the  voice  of 
Saint  Michael  ;  I  say  I  have  had  great  comfort  from 
him.” 

“  What  was  the  first  Voice  that  came  to  you  when  you 
were  about  thirteen  ?  ” 

“  It  was  Saint  Michael  :  I  saw  him  before  my  eyes  ; 
he  was  not  alone,  but  quite  surrounded  by  the  Angels 
of  Heaven.  I  came  into  France  only  by  the  order  of 
God.” 

“  Did  you  see  Saint  Michael  and  these  Angels  bodily 
and  in  reality  ?  ” 

“  I  saw  them  with  my  bodily  eyes  as  well  as  I  see 
you  ;  when  they  went  from  me,  I  wept.  I  should  have 
liked  to  be  taken  away  with  them.” 

“  And  what  was  Saint  Michael  like  ?  ” 

“  You  will  have  no  more  answer  from  me  ;  and  I  am 
not  yet  free  to  tell  you.” 

“  What  did  Saint  Michael  say  to  you  this  first  time  ?  ” 

“  You  will  have  no  more  answer  about  it  from  me  to¬ 
day.  My  Voices  said  to  me,  ‘  Reply  boldly.’  Once  I 
told  the  King  all  that  had  been  revealed  to  me,  because 
it  concerned  him  ;  but  I  am  no  longer  free  to  reveal 
to  you  all  that  Saint  Michael  said  to  me.”  [To  Maître 
Beaupère  :]  “I  wish  you  could  get  a  copy  of  this  book 
at  Poitiers,  if  it  please  God.” 

“  Have  your  Voices  forbidden  you  to  make  known 
your  revelations  without  leave  from  them  ?  ” 

“  I  will  answer  you  no  more  about  it.  On  all  that 
I  have  leave,  I  will  answer  willingly.  I  have  not  quite 
understood  if  my  Voices  have  forbidden  me  to  answer.” 

“  What  sign  do  you  give  that  you  have  this  revelation 


26 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


from  God,  and  that  it  is  Saint  Catherine  and  Saint 
Margaret  that  talk  with  you  ?  ” 

“  I  have  told  you  that  it  is  they  ;  believe  me  if  you 
will.” 

“  Are  you  forbidden  to  say  ?” 

“  I  have  not  quite  understood  if  this  is  forbidden  or 
not.” 

“  How  can  you  make  sure  of  distinguishing  such 
things  as  you  are  free  to  tell,  from  those  which  are 
forbidden  ?  ” 

“  On  some  points  I  have  asked  leave,  and  on 
others  I  have  obtained  it.  I  would  rather  have  been 
torn  asunder  by  four  horses  than  have  come  into  France 
without  God’s  leave.” 

“  Was  it  God  who  prescribed  to  you  the  dress  of  a 
man  ?  ” 

“  What  concerns  this  dress  is  a  small  thing — less  than 
nothing.  I  did  not  take  it  by  the  advice  of  any  man  in 
the  world.  I  did  not  take  this  dress  or  do  anything  but 
by  the  command  of  Our  Lord  and  of  the  Angels.” 

“  Did  it  appear  to  you  that  this  command  to  take 
man’s  dress  was  lawful  ?  ” 

“  All  I  have  done  is  by  Our  Lord’s  command.  If  I 
had  been  told  to  take  some  other,  I  should  have  done 
it  ;  because  it  would  have  been  His  command.” 

“  Did  you  not  take  this  garment  by  order  of  Robert 
de  Baudricourt  ?” 

“No.” 

“  Do  you  think  it  was  well  to  take  a  man’s  dress  ?  ” 

“All  that  I  have  done  by  the  order  of  Our  Lord  I 
think  has  been  well  done  ;  I  look  for  good  surety  and 
good  help  in  it.” 

“In  this  particular  case,  this  taking  of  man’s  dress, 
do  you  think  you  did  well  ?  ” 

“  I  have  done  nothing  in  the  world  but  by  the  order 
of  God.” 


SIX  PUBLIC  EXAMINATIONS 


27 


“  When  you  saw  this  Voice  coming  to  you,  was  there 
a  light  ?  ” 

“  There  was  plenty  of  light  everywhere,  as  was 
seemly.”  [Addressing  herself  to  Maître  Beaupère  :] 
“It  does  not  all  come  to  you  !  ” 

“  Was  there  an  angel  over  the  head  of  your  King 
when  you  saw  him  for  the  first  time  ?  ” 

“  By  Our  Lady  !  if  there  were,  I  know  nothing  of  it  ; 
I  did  not  see  it.” 

“  Was  there  a  light  ?  ” 

“  There  were  more  than  three  hundred  Knights  and 
more  than  fifty  torches,  without  counting  the  spiritual 
fight.” 

“Why  was  your  King  able  to  put  faith  in  your 
words  ?  ” 

“  He  had  good  signs,  and  the  clergy  bore  me  witness.” 

“  What  revelations  has  your  King  had  ?  ” 

“  You  will  not  have  them  from  me  this  year.  During 
three  weeks  I  was  questioned  by  the  clergy  at  Chinon 
and  at  Poitiers.  Before  he  was  willing  to  believe  me, 
the  King  had  a  sign  of  my  mission  ;  and  the  clergy  of 
my  party  were  of  opinion  that  there  was  nothing  but 
good  in  my  mission.” 

“  Have  you  been  to  Saint  Catherine  de  Fierbois  P”1 


1  According  to  local  tradition,  this  Church  was  originally  founded  by 
Charles  Martel  in  732,  after  his  victory  over  the  Saracens,  whom  he  here 
ceased  to  pursue,  and  deposited  his  sword  as  an  offering.  This  is  by  some 
supposed  to  have  been  the  sword  which  later  Jeanne  sent  for  ;  but  the 
legend  is  not  of  an  early  date,  and  there  is  no  suggestion  of  the  kind  in 
contemporary  writings. 

According  to  one  authority,  the  Greffier  de  la  Rochelle,  the  sword 
was  found  in  a  reliquary,  which  had  not  been  opened  for  twenty  years 
or  more.  The  Chronique  de  la  Pucclle  and  the  Journal  of  the  Siege  of 
Orleans  state  that  it  was  one  of  many  votive  offerings,  and  was  recognized 
by  Jeanne’s  description  of  the  five  crosses  on  the  blade,  possibly  a  Jerusalem 
Cross.  Some  of  the  old  Chronicles  say  that  Jeanne  told  the  King  she 
had  never  been  at  Fierbois  :  but  this  statement  is  disproved  by  her  own 
words  in  this  answer.  The  suggestion  that,  having  been  to  three  Masses 
in  the  Church,  she  might  easily  have  seen  the  sword,  is  to  some  extent 


28 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


“Yes,  and  I  heard  there  three  Masses  in  one  day. 
Afterwards,  I  went  to  the  Castle  of  Chinon,  whence  I 
sent  letters  to  the  King,  to  know  if  I  should  be  allowed 
to  see  him  ;  saying,  that  I  had  travelled  a  hundred 
and  fifty  leagues  to  come  to  his  help,  and  that  I  knew 
many  things  good  for  him.  I  think  I  remember  there 
was  in  my  letter  the  remark  that  I  should  recognize 
him  among  all  others.  I  had  a  sword  I  had  taken  at 
Vaucouleurs.  Whilst  I  was  at  Tours,  or  at  Chinon,  I 
sent  to  seek  for  a  sword  which  was  in  the  Church 
of  Saint  Catherine  de  Fierbois,  behind  the  altar  ;  it  was 
found  there  at  once  ;  the  sword  was  in  the  ground,  and 
rusty  ;  upon  it  were  five  crosses  ;  I  knew  by  my  Voice 
where  it  was.  I  had  never  seen  the  man  who  went  to 
seek  for  it.  I  wrote  to  the  Priests  of  the  place,  that  it 
might  please  them  to  let  me  have  this  sword,  and  they 
sent  it  to  me.  It  was  under  the  earth,  not  very  deeply 
buried,  behind  the  altar,  so  it  seemed  to  me  :  I  do  not 
know  exactly  if  it  were  before  or  behind  the  altar,  but  I 
believe  I  wrote  saying  that  it  was  at  the  back.  As  soon  as 
it  was  found,  the  Priests  of  the  Church  rubbed  it,  and  the 
rust  fell  off  at  once  without  effort.  It  was  an  armourer 
of  Tours  who  went  to  look  for  it.  The  Priests  of 
Fierbois  made  me  a  present  of  a  scabbard  ;  those  of  Tours, 
of  another  ;  one  was  of  crimson  velvet,  the  other  of 
cloth-of-gold.  I  had  a  third  made  of  leather,  very  strong. 
When  I  was  taken  prisoner  I  had  not  got  this  sword. 
I  always  bore  the  sword  of  Fierbois  from  the  time  I  had 

answered  by  the  alleged  difficulty  of  the  Priests  to  find,  among  the  many 
swords  there,  the  one  she  had  specially  described. 

Of  the  ultimate  fate  of  this  sword  there  are  many  versions,  and  no  two 
agree  exactly  as  to  date.  It  was  certainly  broken  in  striking  a  camp-follower, 
one  of  a  class  the  Maid  had  forbidden  to  enter  the  Camp  ;  but  whether  this 
was  just  after  the  retreat  from  Paris  or  earlier,  it  does  not  seem  possible  to 
decide.  Jeanne  herself  says  she  “had  it  up  to  Saint-Denis”  and  “Lagny,” 
both  of  which  dates  would  imply  the  autumn  of  1429  :  but  most  witnesses 
tell  the  story  of  its  being  broken  in  the  July  preceding,  though  several 
different  places  are  mentioned  as  the  scene  of  the  incident. 


SIX  PUBLIC  EXAMINATIONS 


29 

it  up  to  my  departure  from  Saint-Denis,1  after  the  attack 
on  Paris.” 

“  What  blessing  did  you  invoke,  or  have  invoked,  on 
this  sword  ?  ” 

“  I  neither  blessed  it,  nor  had  it  blessed  :  I  should  not 
have  known  how  to  set  about  it.  I  cared  very  much  for 
this  sword,  because  it  had  been  found  in  the  Church  of 
Saint  Catherine,  whom  I  love  so  much.” 

“  Have  you  been  at  Coulange-les-Vineuses  ?” 2 

“  I  do  not  know.” 

“  Have  you  sometimes  placed  your  sword  upon  an 
altar  ;  and,  in  so  placing  it,  was  it  that  your  sword  might 
be  more  fortunate  ?  ” 

“  Not  that  I  know  of.” 

“  Have  you  sometimes  prayed  that  it  might  be  more 
fortunate  ?  ” 

“  It  is  good  to  know  that  I  wished  my  armour  might 
have  good  fortune  !  ” 

“  Had  you  your  sword  when  you  were  taken  prisoner  ?  ” 

“  No,  I  had  one  which  had  been  taken  on  a  Bur¬ 
gundian.” 

“Where  was  the  sword  of  Fierbois  left  ?  ” 

“  I  offered  at  Saint-Denis  a  sword  and  armour  ;3  but 
it  was  not  this  sword.  I  had  that  at  Lagny  ;  from 
Lagny  to  Compiègne,  I  bore  the  sword  of  this  Bur¬ 
gundian  ;  it  was  a  good  sword  for  fighting — very  good 
for  giving  stout  buffets  and  hard  clouts.  To  tell  what 
became  of  the  other  sword  does  not  concern  this  Case, 
and  I  will  not  answer  about  it  now.  My  brothers  have 

1  On  September  13th,  1429. 

2  A  small  town  near  Auxerre.  In  this  neighbourhood  some  of  the 
chronicles  place  the  incident  referred  to  of  the  breaking  of  the  sword. 
The  question  may,  therefore,  have  been  intended  to  elicit  the  story. 

3  The  armour  offered  at  Saint-Denis  was  the  “  blanc  harnois  ”  she  wore 
during  the  earlier  part  of  her  career.  When  the  church  was  pillaged  by  the 
English  troops  shortly  after,  this  armour  was  sent  to  the  King  of  England  ; 
but  no  further  trace  of  it  is  known  to  exist. 


30 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


all  my  goods — my  horses,1  my  sword,  so  far  as  I  know, 
and  the  rest,  which  are  worth  more  than  twelve  thousand 
crowns.” 

“  When  you  were  at  Orleans,  had  you  a  standard,  or 
banner  ; 2  and  of  what  colour  was  it  ?  ” 

1  Jeanne  appears  to  have  been  a  good  horse-woman  ;  she  rode  “horses 
so  ill-tempered  that  no  one  would  dare  to  ride  them.”  The  Duke  de 
Lorraine,  on  her  first  visit  to  him,  and  the  Duke  d’Alençon,  [after  seeing 
her  skill  in  riding  a  course,  each  gave  her  a  horse  ;  and  we  read  also  of  a 
gift  of  a  war-horse  from  the  town  of  Orleans,  and  “  many  horses  of  value  ” 
sent  from  the  Duke  of  Brittany.  She  had  entered  Orleans  on  a  white  horse, 
according  to  the  Journal  du  Siege  d  Orléans ;  but  seems  to  have  been  in  the 
habit  of  riding  black  chargers  in  war  ;  and  mention  is  also  made  by 
Châtelain  of  a  “  lyart  ”  or  grey.  A  story,  repeated  in  a  letter  from  Guy  de 
Laval,  relates  that,  on  one  occasion  (June  6th,  1428),  when  her  horse,  “  a  fine 
black  war-horse  ”  was  brought  to  the  door,  he  was  so  restive  that  he  would 
not  stand  still.  “  Take  him  to  the  Cross,”  she  said  ;  and  there  he  stood,  “  as 
though  he  were  tied,”  while  she  mounted.  This  was  at  Selles  ;  and  local 
tradition  says  that,  from  her  lodging  (a  Dominican  Monastery  now  the  Lion 
d’Or  hotel)  the  old  iron  town-cross  was  visible.  It  stood  until  about  a 
century  ago  some  fifteen  paces  in  front  of  the  north  door  of  the  Church,  and 
was  removed  when  the  cemetery  was  converted  into  a  market  place.  The 
Monastery  was  the  property  of  the  monks  of  Glatigny. 

The  writers  of  the  letter  referred  to  above,  Guy  and  André  de  Laval,  were 
grandsons  of  Bertrand  du  Guesclin  :  the  letter  was  dated  Selles,  June,  1429. 
The  following  are  extracts  : 

“.  .  .  On  Monday  (June  6th)I  left  the  King  to  go  to  Selles  en  Berry,  four 
leagues  from  Saint  Aignan.  The  King  had  summoned  the  Maid  to  come 
before  him  from  Selles,  where  she  then  was,  and  many  said  this  was  much  in 
my  favour,  so  that  I  might  see  her.  The  said  Maid  treated  my  brother  and 
me  with  great  kindness  :  she  was  armed  at  all  points,  save  the  head,  and 
bore  lance  in  hand.  After  we  had  arrived  at  Selles,  I  went  to  her  lodging  to 
see  her,  and  she  called  for  wine  for  me  and  said  she  would  soon  have  me 
drink  it  in  Paris.  She  seemed  to  me  a  thing  divine,  in  all  she  did  and  all  I 
saw  and  heard. 

“  On  Monday  evening  she  left  Selles  to  go  to  Romorantin.  ...  I  saw  her 
mounting  her  horse  armed  all  in  white,  save  the  head,  a  little  axe  in  her 
hand.  .  .  .  'And  then,  turning  to  the  door  of  the  Church,  which  was  quite 
near,  she  said  in  a  gentle  woman’s  voice,  ‘  You  priests  and  clergy,  make 
processions  and  prayers  to  God.’  Then  she  turned  again  on  her  way  saying, 

‘  Draw  on,  draw  on  !  ’  her  standard  flying,  borne  by  a  gracious  page,  and 
her  little  axe  in  her  hand.  One  of  her  brothers  who  arrived  eight  days 
since,  left  also  with  her,  armed  all  in  white.” 

2  The  banner  was  painted  at  Tours,  while  Jeanne  was  staying  there,  before 
her  march  to  the  relief  of  Orleans.  The  account  for  payment,  in  the 
“  Comptes  ”  of  the  Treasurer  of  War,  gives  :  “  À  Hauvres  Poulnoir,  paintre, 


SIX  PUBLIC  EXAMINATIONS 


3i 


“  I  had  a  banner  of  which  the  field  was  sprinkled  with 
lilies  ;  the  world  was  painted  there,  with  an  angel  at 
each  side  ;  it  was  white,  of  the  white  cloth  called 
‘  boccassin  ’  ;  there  was  written  above,  I  believe,  ‘  Jhesus 
Maria  ’  ;  it  was  fringed  with  silk.” 

“  The  words  ‘Jhesus  Maria’  were  they  written  above, 
below,  or  on  the  side  ?  ” 

“At  the  side,  I  believe.” 

“  Which  did  you  care  for  most,  your  banner  or  your 
sword  ?  ” 

“  Better,  forty  times  better,  my  banner  than  my 
sword  !  ” 

“Who  made  you  get  this  painting  done  upon  your 
banner  ?  ” 

“  I  have  told  you  often  enough,  that  I  had  nothing 
done  but  by  the  command  of  God.  It  was  I,  myself, 
who  bore  this  banner,  when  I  attacked  the  enemy,  to 
save  killing  any  one,  for  I  have  never  killed  any  one.” 

“  What  force  did  your  King  give  you  when  he  set  you 
to  work  ?  ” 

“  He  gave  me  ten  or  twelve  thousand  men.  First,  I 
went  to  Orleans,  to  the  fortress  of  Saint  Loup,  and 
afterwards  to  that  of  the  Bridge.” 

demourant  à  Tours,  pour  avoir  paint  et  baillé  estoffes  pour  une  grand 
estandart  et  ung  petit  pour  la  Pucelle  ...  25  livres  tournois.” 

The  description  of  this  banner  varies  in  different  authors.  The  following 
account  is  compiled  from  them.  “  A  white  banner,  sprinkled  with  fleur-de- 
lys  ;  on  the  one  side,  the  figure  of  Our  Lord  in  Glory,  holding  the  world, 
and  giving  His  benediction  to  a  lily,  held  by  one  of  two  Angels  who  are 
kneeling  on  each  side  :  the  words  ‘Jhesus  Maria1  at  the  side  ;  on  the  other 
side  the  figure  of  Our  Lady  and  a  shield  with  the  arms  of  France  supported 
by  two  Angels  ”  ( de  Cagny).  This  banner  was  blessed  at  the  Church  of 
Saint-Sauveur  at  Tours  ( Chronique  de  la  Pucelle  and  de  Cagny). 

The  small  banner  or  pennon  had  a  representation  of  the  Annunciation. 

There  was  also  a  third  banner  round  which  the  priests  assembled  daily 
for  service,  and  on  this  was  depicted  the  Crucifixion  ( Pasquerel ). 

Another  banner  is  mentioned  by  the  Greffier  de  la  Rochelle,  which 
Jeanne  is  said  to  have  adopted  as  her  own  private  pennon.  It  was  made  at 
Poitiers  ;  and  represented  on  a  blue  ground  a  white  dove,  holding  in  its 
beak  a  scroll,  with  the  words,  “  De  par  le  Roy  du  Ciel.” 


3 2  JEANNE  D’ARC 

“  Which  fortress  was  being  attacked  when  you  made 
your  men  retire  ?  ” 

“  I  do  not  remember.  I  was  quite  certain  of  raising 
the  siege  of  Orleans  ;  I  had  revelation  of  it.  I  told  this 
to  the  King  before  going  there.” 

“  Before  the  assault,  did  you  not  tell  your  followers 
that  you  alone  would  receive  the  arrows,  cross-bolts,  and 
stones,  thrown  by  the  machines  and  cannons  ?  ” 

“No  ;  a  hundred  and  even  more  of  my  people  were 
wounded.  I  had  said  to  them  :  ‘  Be  fearless,  and  you 
will  raise  the  siege.’  Then,  in  the  attack  on  the  Bridge 
fortress,  I  was  wounded  in  the  neck  by  an  arrow  or 
cross-bolt  ; 1  but  I  had  great  comfort  from  Saint  Catherine, 
and  was  cured  in  less  than  a  fortnight.  I  did  not  inter¬ 
rupt  for  this  either  my  riding  or  work.  I  knew  quite  well 
that  I  should  be  wounded  ;  I  had  told  the  King  so, 
but  that,  notwithstanding,  I  should  go  on  with  my 
work.  This  had  been  revealed  to  me  by  the  Voices  of 
my  two  Saints,2  the  blessed  Catherine  and  the  blessed 
Margaret.  It  was  I  who  first  planted  a  ladder  against 
the  fortress  of  the  Bridge,  and  it  was  in  raising  this 
ladder  that  I  was  wounded  in  the  neck  by  this  cross¬ 
bolt.” 

“  Why  did  you  not  accept  the  treaty  with  the  Captain 
of  Jargeau  ?  ”  3 

“  It  was  the  Lords  of  my  party  who  answered  the 
English  that  they  should  not  have  the  fortnight’s  delay 
which  they  asked,  telling  them  that  they  were  to  retire 
at  once,  they  and  their  horses.  As  for  me,  I  told  them 
of  Jargeau  to  retire  if  they  wished,  with  their  doublets,4 

1  May  7th,  1429. 

2  This  prophecy  is  recorded  in  a  letter  written,  April  22nd,  1429,  a 
fortnight  before  the  event,  by  a  Flemish  diplomatist,  De  Rotslaer,  then  at 
Lyons.  Her  chaplain,  Pasquerel,  also  states,  in  his  evidence  given  in  1455, 
that  she  had  told  him  of  the  coming  injury  on  the  previous  day. 

3  June  1  ith,  1429. 

4  Gallicè  :  “  en  leur  petite  cotte,”  i.e.,  with  only  the  light  clothing  worn 
under  their  armour. 


SIX  PUBLIC  EXAMINATIONS 


33 

and  their  lives  safe  ;  if  not,  they  would  be  taken  by 
assault.” 

“  Had  you  any  revelation  from  your  counsel,  that  is 
to  say  from  your  Voices,  to  know  whether  it  was  right 
or  not  to  give  this  fortnight’s  respite  ?  ” 

“  I  do  not  remember.” 

At  this  point,  the  rest  of  the  enquiry  hath  been  post¬ 
poned  to  another  day.  We  have  fixed  for  Thursday  the 
next  Meeting,  at  the  same  place. 


Thursday,  March  \st,  in  the  same  place,  the  Bishop 
and  58  Assessors  present. 

In  their  presence,  We  summoned  and  required  Jeanne 
simply  and  absolutely  to  take  her  oath  to  speak  the  truth 
on  that  which  should  be  asked  her. 

“  I  am  ready,”  she  replied,  “as  I  have  already  declared 
to  you,  to  speak  the  truth  on  all  I  know  touching  this 
Case  ;  but  I  know  many  things  which  do  not  touch 
on  this  Case,  and  of  which  there  is  no  need  to  speak 
to  you.  I  will  speak  willingly  and  in  all  truth  on  all 
which  touches  this  Case." 

We  again  summoned  and  required  her  ;  and  she  re¬ 
plied  : 

“  What  I  know  in  truth  to^^ching  the  Case,  I  will  tell 
willingly.” 

And  in  thiswise  did  she  swear,  her  hands  on  the  Holy 
Gospels.  Then  she  said  : 

“  On  what  I  know  touching  the  Case,  I  will  speak  the 
truth  willingly  ;  I  will  tell  you  as  much  as  I  would  to 
the  Pope  of  Rome,  if  I  were  before  him.” 

Then  she  was  examined  as  follows  : 

“  What  do  you  say  of  our  Lord  the  Pope  ?  and  whom 
do  you  believe  to  be  the  true  Pope  ?  ” 

“  Are  there  two  of  them  ?  ” 

“  Did  you  not  receive  a  letter  from  the  Count 

D 


34  JEANNE  D’ARC 

d’Armagnac,  asking  you  which  of  the  three  Pontiffs 1  he 
ought  to  obey  ?  ” 

“  The  Count  did  in  fact  write  to  me  on  this  subject. 
I  replied,  among  other  things,  that  when  I  should  be  at 
rest,  in  Paris  or  elsewhere,  I  would  give  him  an  answer. 
I  was  just  at  that  moment  mounting  my  horse  when  I 
sent  this  reply.” 

At  this  juncture,  We  ordered  to  be  read  the  copy  of 
the  Count’s  letter  and  of  Jeanne’s  reply,  which  are  thus 
expressed  : 

“  My  very  dear  Lady — I  humbly  commend  myself  to 
you,  and  pray,  for  God’s  sake,  that,  considering  the 
divisions  which  are  at  this  present  time  in  the  Holy 
Church  Universal  on  the  question  of  the  Popes,  for 
there  are  now  three  contending  for  the  Papacy-^one 
residing  at  Rome,  calling  himself  Martin  V.,  whom  all 
Christian  Kings  obey  ;  another,  living  at  Paniscole,  in 
the  Kingdom  of  Valence,  who  calls  himself  Clement  VII.  ; 
the  third,  no  one  knows  where  he  lives,  unless  it  be  the 
Cardinal  Saint  Etienne  and  some  few  people  with  him, 
but  he  calls  himself  Pope  Benedict  XIV.  The  first, 
who  styles  himself  Pope  Martin,  was  elected  at  Con¬ 
stance  with  the  consent  of  all  Christian  nations  ;  he  who 
is  called  Clement  was  elected  at  Paniscole,  after  the 
death  of  Pope  Benedict  XIII.,  by  three  of  his  Cardinals  ; 
the  third,  who  dubs  himself  Benedict  XIV.,  was  elected 
secretly  at  Paniscole,  even  by  the  Cardinal  Saint  Etienne. 
You  will  have  the  goodness  to  pray  Our  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ  that  by  His  infinite  Mercy  He  may  by  you 
declare  to  us  which  of  the  three  named  is  Pope  in  truth, 
and  whom  it  pleases  Him  that  we  should  obey,  now  and 

1  The  “three  Pontiffs”  referred  to  are  Martin  V.  (Colonna),  the  real  and 
acknowledged  Pope  ;  the  schismatic,  Clement  VIII.  ;  and  a  mere  pretender, 
Benedict  XIV.,  who  was  supported  only  by  one  Cardinal.  The  Schism  was 
practically  at  an  end  at  the  time  of  this  letter,  as  Clement  had  abdicated  a 
month  earlier  (July  26th).  Clement  VIII.  is  the  true  title,  though  called 
Clement  VII.  in  Count  d’Armagnac’s  letter. 


SIX  PUBLIC  EXAMINATIONS 


35 


henceforward,  whether  he  who  is  called  Martin,  he  who 
is  called  Clement,  or  he  who  is  called  Benedict  ;  and  in 
whom  we  are  to  believe,  if  secretly,  or  by  any  dis¬ 
sembling,  or  publicly  ;  for  we  are  all  ready  to  do  the 
will  and  pleasure  of  Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

“Yours  in  all  things, 

“  Count  d’Armagnac.” 

Jeanne’s  Reply. 

“  J he  sus  Maria. 

“  Count  d’Armagnac,  my  very  good  and  dear  friend, 
I,  Jeanne,  the  Maid,  acquaint  you  that  your  message 
has  come  before  me,  which  tells  me  that  you  have  sent 
at  once  to  know  from  me  which  of  the  three  Popes, 
mentioned  in  your  memorial,  you  should  believe.  This 
thing  I  cannot  tell  you  truly  at  present,  until  I  am 
at  rest  in  Paris  or  elsewhere  ;  for  I  am  now  too  much 
hindered  by  affairs  of  war  ;  but  when  you  hear  that 
I  am  in  Paris,  send  a  message  to  me  and  I  will  inform 
you  in  truth  whom  you  should  believe,  and  what  I  shall 
know  by  the  counsel  of  my  Righteous  and  Sovereign 
Lord,  the  King  of  all  the  World,  and  of  what  you  should 
do  to  the  extent  of  my  power.  I  commend  you  to 
God.  May  God  have  you  in  His  keeping  !  Written 
at  Compiègne,  August  22nd.” 

Then  the  Enquiry  proceeded  thus  : 

“  Is  this  really  the  reply  that  you  made  ?  ” 

“  I  deem  that  I  might  have  made  this  answer  in  part, 
but  not  all.” 

“  Did  you  say  that  you  might  know,  by  the  counsel  of 
the  King  of  Kings,  what  the  Count  should  hold  on  this 
subject  ?  ” 

“  I  know  nothing  about  it.” 

“  Had  you  any  doubt  about  whom  the  Count  should 
obey  ?  ” 


d  2 


36 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


“  I  did  not  know  how  to  inform  him  on  this  question, 
as  to  whom  he  should  obey,  because  the  Count  himself 
asked  to  know  whom  God  wished  him  to  obey.  But  for 
myself,  I  hold  and  believe  that  we  should  obey  our  Lord 
the  Pope  who  is  in  Rome.  I  told  the  messenger  of 
the  Count  some  things  which  are  not  in  this  copy  ;  and, 
if  the  messenger  had  not  gone  off  immediately,  he  would 
have  been  thrown  into  the  water — not  by  me,  however. 
As  to  the  Count’s  enquiry,  desiring  to  know  whom  God 
wished  him  to  obey,  I  answered  that  I  did  not  know  ; 
but  I  sent  him  messages  on  several  things  which  have 
not  been  put  in  writing.  As  for  me,  I  believe  in  our 
Lord  the  Pope  who  is  at  Rome.” 

“Why  did  you  write  that  you  would  give  an  answer 
elsewhere  if  you  believed  in  the  Pope  who  is  at 
Rome?” 

“  That  answer  had  reference  to  other  things  than  the 
matter  of  the  sovereign  Pontiffs.” 

“  Did  you  say  that  on  the  matter  of  the  three  sovereign 
Pontiffs  you  would  have  counsel  ?  ” 

“  I  never  wrote  nor  gave  command  to  write  on  the 
matter  of  the  three  sovereign  Pontiffs.”  And  this 
answer  she  supported  by  oath. 

“Are  you  in  the  habit  of  putting  the  Names  ‘  Jhesus 
Maria,’  with  a  cross,  at  the  top  of  your  letters  ?” 

“  On  some  I  put  it,  on  others  not  ;  sometimes  I  put  a 
cross  as  a  sign  for  those  of  my  party  to  whom  I  wrote 
so  that  they  should  not  do  as  the  letters  said.” 

Here  a  letter  was  read  from  Jeanne  to  our  Lord  the 
King,  to  the  Duke  of  Bedford,  and  others,  of  the 
following  tenour  : — 

“  Jhesus  Maria. 

“  King  of  England  ;  and  you,  Duke  of  Bedford,  who 
call  yourself  Regent  of  the  Kingdom  of  France  ;  you, 
William  de  la  Pole,  Earl  of  Suffolk  ;  John,  Lord  Talbot  ; 


SIX  PUBLIC  EXAMINATIONS 


37 


and  you,  Thomas,  Lord  Scales,  who  call  yourselves 
Lieutenants  to  the  said  Duke  of  Bedford  :  give  satisfac¬ 
tion  to  the  King  of  Heaven  :  give  up  to  the  Maid,  who 
is  sent  hither  by  God,  the  King  of  Heaven,  the  keys  of 
all  the  good  towns  in  France  which  you  have  taken, 
and  broken  into.  She  is  come  here  by  the  order  of  God 
to  reclaim  the  Blood  Royal.  She  is  quite  ready  to  make 
peace,  if  you  are  willing  to  give  her  satisfaction,  by 
giving  and  paying  back  to  France  what  you  have  taken. 
And  as  for  you,  archers,  companions-in-arms,  gentlemen 
and  others  who  are  before  the  town  of  Orleans,  return 
to  your  own  countries,  by  God’s  order  ;  and  if  this  be 
not  done,  then  hear  the  message  of  the  Maid,  who 
will  shortly  come  upon  you,  to  your  very  great  hurt. 
King  of  England,  I  am  a  Chieftain  of  war  and,  if  this  be 
not  done,  wheresoever  I  find  your  followers  in  France,” 

I  will  make  them  leave,  willingly  or  unwillingly  ;  if  they 
will  not  obey,  I  will  have  them  put  to  death.  I  am  sent 
here  by  God,  the  King  of  Heaven,  body  for  body,  to 
drive  them  all  out  of  the  whole  of  France.  And  if  they  __ 
will  obey,  I  will  have  mercy  on  them.  And  do  not 
think  in  yourselves  that  you  will  get  possession  of  the 
realm  of  France  from  God  the  King  of  Heaven,  Son  of 
the  Blessed  Mary  ;  for  King  Charles  will  gain  it,  the 
true  heir  :  for  God,  the  King  of  Heaven,  so  wills  it,  and 
it  is  revealed  to  him  [the  King]  by  the  Maid,  and  he  will 
enter  Paris  with  a  good  company.  If  you  will  not 
believe  the  message  of  God  and  of  the  Maid  and  act 
aright,  in  whatsoever  place  we  find  you  we  will  enter 
therein  and  make  so  great  a  disturbance  that  for  a 
thousand  years  none  in  France  will  be  so  great.  And 
believe  surely  that  the  King  of  Heaven  will  send  greater 
power  to  the  Maid,  to  her  and  her  good  men-at-arms, 
than  you  can  bring  to  the  attack  ;  and,  when  it  comes  to 
blows,  we  shall  see  who  has  the  better  rieht  from  the 
God  of  Heaven.  You,  Duke  of  Bedford,  the  Maid 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


38 

prays  and  enjoins  you,  that  you  do  not  come  to  grievous 
hurt.  If  you  will  give  her  satisfactory  pledges,  you  may 
yet  join  with  her,  so  that  the  French  may  do  the  fairest 
deed  that  has  ever  yet  been  done  for  Christendom.  And 
answer,  if  you  wish  to  make  peace  in  the  City  of  Orleans  ; 
if  this  be  not  done,  you  may  be  shortly  reminded  of 
it,  to  your  very  great  hurt.  Written  this  Tuesday  in 
Holy  Week,  March  22nd,  1428.” 

“  Do  you  know  this  letter  ?  ” 

“Yes,  excepting  three  words.  In  place  of  ‘give  up 
to  the  Maid,’  it  should  be  ‘give  up  to  the  King.’  The 
words  ‘  Chieftain  of  war  ’  and  ‘  body  for  body  ’  were  not 
in  the  letter  I  sent.  None  of  the  Lords  ever  dictated 
these  letters  to  me  ;  it  was  I  myself  alone  who  dictated 
them  before  sending  them.  Nevertheless,  I  always 
shewed  them  to  some  of  my  party.  Before  seven  years 
are  passed,  the  English  will  lose  a  greater  wager 
than  they  have  already  done  at  Orleans  ;  they  will  lose 
everything  in  France.1  The  English  will  have  in 
France  a  greater  loss  than  they  have  ever  had,  and 
that  by  a  great  victory  which  God  will  send  to  the 
French.” 

“  How  do  you  know  this  ?” 

“  I  know  it  well  by  revelation,  which  has  been  made 
to  me,  and  that  this  will  happen  within  seven  years  ;  and 
I  am  sore  vexed  that  it  is  deferred  so  long.  I  know  it 
by  revelation,  as  clearly  as  I  know  that  you  are  before 
me  at  this  moment.” 

“  When  will  this  happen  ?  ” 

“  I  know  neither  the  day  nor  the  hour.” 

“In  what  year  will  it  happen  ?” 

“  You  will  not  have  any  more.  Nevertheless,  I 
heartily  wish  it  might  be  before  Saint  John’s  Day.” 

“  Did  you  not  say  that  this  would  happen  before 
Martinmas,  in  winter  ?” 


1  The  English  lost  Paris  in  1436. 


SIX  PUBLIC  EXAMINATIONS 


39 


“  I  said  that  before  Martinmas  many  things  would  be 
seen,  and  that  the  English  might  perhaps  be  over¬ 
thrown.”  1 

“  What  did  you  say  to  John  Gris,  your  keeper,  on  the 
subject  of  the  Feast  of  Saint  Martin  ?  ” 

“  I  have  told  you.” 

“  Through  whom  did  you  know  that  this  would 
happen  ?  ” 

“Through  Saint  Catherine  and  Saint  Margaret.” 

“Was  Saint  Gabriel  with  Saint  Michael  when  he 
came  to  you  ?  ” 

“  I  do  not  remember.” 

“  Since  last  Tuesday,  have  you  had  any  converse 
with  Saint  Catherine  and  Saint  Margaret  ?  ” 

“Yes,  but  I  do  not  know  at  what  time.’ 

“  What  day  ?  ” 

“Yesterday  and  to-day  ;  there  is  never  a  day  that  I 
do  not  hear  them.” 

“  Do  you  always  see  them  in  the  same  dress  ?  ” 

“  I  see  them  always  under  the  same  form,  and  their 
heads  are  richly  crowned.  I  do  not  speak  of  the  rest 
of  their  clothing  :  I  know  nothing  of  their  dresses.” 

“  How  do  you  know  whether  the  object  that  appears 
to  you  is  male  or  female  ?  ” 

“  I  know  well  enough.  I  recognize  them  by  their 
voices,  as  they  revealed  themselves  to  me  ;  I  know 
nothing  but  by  the  revelation  and  order  of  God.” 

“  What  part  of  their  heads  do  you  see  ?  ” 

“  The  face.” 

“  These  saints  who  shew  themselves  to  you,  have  they 
any  hair  ?  ” 

“  It  is  well  to  know  they  have.” 

“  Is  there  anything  between  their  crowns  and  their 
hair  ?  ” 

1  Compiègne  was  relieved  early  in  November;  Saint  Martin’s  Day  is 
November  nth. 


40 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


“  No.” 

“  Is  their  hair  long  and  hanging  down  ?  ” 

“  I  know  nothing  about  it.  I  do  not  know  if  they 
have  arms  or  other  members.  They  speak  very  well 
and  in  very  good  language  ;  I  hear  them  very  well.” 

“  How  do  they  speak  if  they  have  no  members  ?  ” 

“  I  refer  me  to  God.  The  voice  is  beautiful,  sweet, 
and  low  ;  it  speaks  in  the  French  tongue.” 

“  Does  not  Saint  Margaret  speak  English  ?  ” 

“  Why  should  she  speak  English,  when  she  is  not  on 
the  English  side  ?” 

“  On  these  crowned  heads,  were  there  rings  ? — in  the 
ears  or  elsewhere  ?  ” 

“  I  know  nothing  about  it.” 

“  Have  you  any  rings  yourself  ?  ” 

[Addressing  herself  to  Us,  the  Bishop:]  “You  have 
one  of  mine  ;  give  it  back  to  me.  The  Burgundians 
have  another  of  them.  I  pray  you,  if  you  have  my  ring, 
shew  it  to  me.” 

“Who  gave  you  the  ring  which  the  Burgundians 
[now]  have  ?  ” 

“  My  father  or  my  mother.  I  think  the  Names  ‘  Jhesus 
Maria  ’  are  engraved  on  it.  I  do  not  know  who  had 
them  written  there  ;  there  is  not,  I  should  say,  any  stone 
in  the  ring;  it  was  given  to  me  at  Domremy.  It  was 
my  brother  who  gave  me  the  other — the  one  you  have.” 
[Continuing  to  address  herself  to  Us,  the  Bishop  :]  “  I 
charge  you  to  give  it  to  the  Church.  I  never  cured 
any  one  with  any  of  my  rings.” 

“  Did  Saint  Catherine  and  Saint  Margaret  speak  to 
you  under  the  tree  of  which  mention  has  been  made  ?  ” 

“  I  know  nothing  of  it.” 

“  Did  they  speak  to  you  at  the  spring,  which  is  near 
the  tree  ?  ” 

“  Yes,  I  have  heard  them  there  ;  but  what  they  said 
then,  I  do  not  know.” 


SIX  PUBLIC  EXAMINATIONS 


4i 


“  What  did  they  promise  you,  there  or  elsewhere  ?  ” 

“  They  have  never  promised  me  anything,  except  by 
God’s  leave.” 

“  But  still,  what  promises  have  they  made  to  you  ?  ” 

“That  is  not  in  your  Case  :  not  at  all.  Upon  other 
subjects,  they  told  me  that  my  King  would  be  re¬ 
established  in  his  Kingdom,  whether  his  enemies  willed 
it  or  no  ;  they  told  me  also  that  they  would  lead  me  to 
Paradise  :  I  begged  it  of  them,  indeed.” 

“  Did  you  have  any  other  promise  from  them  ?  ” 

“  There  was  another,  but  I  will  not  tell  it  ;  that  does 
not  touch  on  the  Case.  In  three  months  I  will  tell  you 
the  other  promise.” 

“  Have  your  Voices  said  that  before  three  months  you 
will  be  delivered  from  prison  ?  ” 

“That  is  not  in  your  Case.  Nevertheless  I  do  not 
know  when  I  shall  be  delivered.  But  those  who  wish  to 
send  me  out  of  the  world  may  well  go  before  me.” 

“  Has  not  your  counsel  told  you  that  you  will  be 
delivered  from  your  actual  prison  ?  ” 

“  Speak  to  me  in  three  months,  and  I  will  answer. 
Moreover,  ask  of  those  present,  upon  oath,  if  this  touches 
on  the  Trial.” 

We,  the  said  Bishop,  did  then  take  the  opinion  of 
those  present  :  and  all  considered  that  this  did  touch  on 
the  Trial. 

“  I  have  already  told  you,  you  shall  not  know  all. 
One  day  I  must  be  delivered.  But  I  wish  to  have  leave 
to  tell  you  the  day  :  it  is  for  this  I  ask  delay.” 

“  Have  your  Voices  forbidden  you  to  speak  the 
truth  ?  ” 

“  Do  you  want  me  to  tell  you  what  concerns  the  King 
of  France  ?  There  are  a  number  of  things  that  do  not 
touch  on  the  Case.  I  know  well  that  my  King  will 
regain  the  Kingdom  of  France.  I  know  it  as  well  as  I 
know  that  you  are  before  me,  seated  in  judgment.  I 


42  JEANNE  D’ARC 

should  die  if  this  revelation  did  not  comfort  me  every 
day.” 

“What  have  you  done  with  your  mandrake  ?  ”  1 
“  I  never  have  had  one.  But  I  have  heard  that 
there  is  one  near  our  home,  though  I  have  never  seen  it. 
I  have  heard  it  is  a  dangerous  and  evil  thing  to  keep. 
I  do  not  know  for  what  it  is  [used].” 

“  Where  is  this  mandrake  of  which  you  have  heard  ?  ” 
“  I  have  heard  that  it  is  in  the  earth,  near  the  tree  of 
which  I  spoke  before  ;  but  I  do  not  know  the  place. 
Above  this  mandrake,  there  was,  it  is  said,  a  hazel 
tree.” 

“What  have  you  heard  said  was  the  use  of  this 
mandrake  ?  ” 

“To  make  money  come  ;  but  I  do  not  believe  it. 
My  Voice  never  spoke  to  me  of  that.” 

“  In  what  likeness  did  Saint  Michael  appear  to  you  ?  ” 
“  I  did  not  see  a  crown  :  I  know  nothing  of  his 
dress.” 

“Was  he  naked  ?  ” 

“  Do  you  think  God  has  not  wherewithal  to  clothe 
him  ?” 

“  Had  he  hair  ?  ” 

“Why  should  it  have  been  cut  off?  I  have  not  seen 
Saint  Michael  since  I  left  the  Castle  of  Crotoy.  I  do 
not  see  him  often.  I  do  not  know  if  he  has  hair.” 

“  Has  he  a  balance  ?” 2 


1  The  mandrake  was  a  part  of  the  accepted  paraphernalia  of  a  sorcerer. 
It  was  kept  wrapped  in  a  silk  or  linen  cloth,  and  was  supposed  to  preserve 
its  owner  from  poverty.  Brother  Richard  had  recently  preached  a  sermon 
against  them  (April,  1429)  ;  and  many  had  been  burned  in  consequence. 

2  The  balance  was  a  frequent  accessory  to  Saint  Michael  in  the  French 
stained  glass  windows  of  the  13th  and  14th  centuries.  A  noted  example  in 
the  Cathedral  at  Arles  represents  him  weighing  the  souls  of  the  departed  in 
a  balance  as  big  as  himself.  One  of  the  earliest  examples  in  England  is 
that  in  a  fresco-painting  at  Preston  Manor,  Sussex,  said  to  be  of  the  reign 
of  Edward  I.,  in  which  Saint  Michael  appears  weighing  the  souls  of  the  faith¬ 
ful,  accompanied  by  Jeanne’s  saints,  Saint  Catherine  and  Saint  Margaret. 


SIX  PUBLIC  EXAMINATIONS 


43 


“  I  know  nothing  about  it.  It  was  a  great  joy  to  see 
him  ;  it  seemed  to  me,  when  I  saw  him,  that  I  was  not 
in  mortal  sin.  Saint  Catherine  and  Saint  Margaret 
were  pleased  from  time  to  time  to  receive  my  confession, 
each  in  turn.  If  I  am  in  mortal  sin,  it  is  without  my 
knowing  it.” 

“  When  you  confessed,  did  you  think  you  were  in 
mortal  sin  ?  ” 

“  I  do  not  know  if  I  am  in  mortal  sin,  and  I  do  not 
believe  I  have  done  its  works  ;  and,  if  it  please  God,  I 
will  never  so  be  ;  nor,  please  God,  have  I  ever  done  or 
ever  will  do  deeds  which  charge  my  soul  !  ” 

“What  sign  did  you  give  your  King  that  you  came 
from  God  ?  ” 

“  I  have  always  answered  that  you  will  not  drag  this 
from  my  lips.  Go  and  ask  it  of  him.” 

“  Have  you  sworn  not  to  reveal  what  shall  be  asked 
of  you  touching  the  Trial  ?” 

“  I  have  already  told  you  that  I  will  tell  you  nothing 
of  what  concerns  my  King.  Thereon  I  will  not 
speak.” 

“  Do  you  not  know  the  sign  that  you  gave  to  the 
King  ?  ” 

“  You  will  not  know  it  from  me.” 

“  But  this  touches  on  the  Trial.” 

“  Of  what  I  have  promised  to  keep  secret,  I  will  tell 
you  nothing.  I  have  already  said,  even  here,  that  I 
could  not  tell  you  without  perjury.” 

“To  whom  have  you  promised  this  ?  ” 

“To  Saint  Catherine  and  Saint  Margaret;  and  this 
hath  been  shewn  to  the  King.  I  promised  them, 
without  their  asking  it  of  me,  of  my  own  free-will,  of 
myself,  because  too  many  people  might  have  questioned 
me  had  I  not  promised  it  to  my  Saints.” 

“  When  you  shewed  your  sign  to  the  King,  were  you 
alone  with  him  ?  ” 


44 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


“  I  do  not  take  account  of  any  one  else,  although  there 
were  many  people  near.” 

“When  you  shewed  this  sign  to  the  King,  did  you  see 
a  crown  on  his  head  ?  ” 

“  I  cannot  tell  you  without  perjury.” 

“  Had  your  King  a  crown  at  Rheims  ?  ” 

“  I  think  my  King  took  with  joy  the  crown  that  he 
had  at  Rheims  ;  but  another,  much  richer,  would  have 
been  given  him  later.  He  acted  thus  to  hurry  on  his 
work,  at  the  request  of  the  people  of  the  town  of  Rheims, 
to  avoid  too  long  a  charge  upon  them  of  the  soldiers.  If 
he  had  waited,  he  would  have  had  a  crown  a  thousand 
times  more  rich.” 

“  Have  you  seen  this  richer  crown  ?  ” 

“  I  cannot  tell  you  without  incurring  perjury  ;  and, 
though  I  have  not  seen  it,  I  have  heard  that  it  is  rich 
and  valuable  to  a  degree.” 

This  done,  we  put  an  end  to  the  interrogation  and 
postponed  the  remainder  to  Saturday  next,  8  o’clock 
in  the  morning,  in  the  same  place,  summoning  all  the 
Assessors  to  be  present. 


Saturday ,  March  3  rd,  in  the  same  place ,  the  Bishop 
and  41  Assessors  prese7it. 

In  their  presence,  We  required  the  said  Jeanne  simply 
and  absolutely  to  swear  to  speak  the  truth  on  what 
should  be  asked  of  her.  She  replied  : 

“  I  am  ready  to  swear  as  I  have  already  done.” 

And  thus  did  she  swear,  her  hands  on  the  Holy 
Gospels. 

Afterwards,  because  she  had  said,  in  previous  En¬ 
quiries,  that  Saint  Michael  had  wings,  but  had  said 
nothing  of  the  body  and  members  of  Saint  Catherine 
and  Saint  Margaret,  We  asked  her  what  she  wished 
to  say  thereon. 


SIX  PUBLIC  EXAMINATIONS 


45 


“  I  have  told  you  what  I  know  ;  I  will  answer  you 
nothing  more.  I  saw  Saint  Michael  and  these  two  Saints 
so  well  that  I  know  they  are  Saints  of  Paradise.” 

“  Did  you  see  anything  else  of  them  but  the  face  ?  ” 

“  I  have  told  you  what  I  know  ;  but  to  tell  you  all  I 
know,  I  would  rather  that  you  made  me  cut  my  throat. 
All  that  I  know  touching  the  Trial  I  will  tell  you 
willingly.” 

“  Do  you  think  that  Saint  Michael  and  Saint  Gabriel 
have  human  heads  ?  ” 

“  I  saw  them  with  my  eyes  ;  and  I  believe  it  was  they 
as  firmly  as  I  believe  there  is  a  God.” 

“  Do  you  think  that  God  made  them  in  the  form  and 
fashion  that  you  saw  ?  ” 

“  Yes.” 

“  Do  you  think  that  God  did  from  the  first  create  them 
in  this  form  and  fashion  ?  ” 

“  You  will  have  no  more  at  present  than  what  I  have 
answered.” 

“  Do  you  know  by  revelation  if  you  will  escape  ?  ” 

“  That  does  not  touch  on  your  Case.  Do  you  wish 
me  to  speak  against  myself?  ” 

“  Have  your  Voices  told  you  anything  ?  ” 

“  That  is  not  in  your  Case.  I  refer  me  to  the  Case. 
If  all  concerned  you,  I  would  tell  you  all.  By  my 
faith,  I  know  neither  the  day  nor  the  hour  that  I  shall 
escape  !  ” 

“  Have  your  Voices  told  you  anything  in  a  general 
way  r 

“Yes,  truly,  they  have  told  me  that  I  shall  be  de¬ 
livered,  but  I  know  neither  the  day  nor  the  hour.  They 
said  to  me  :  ‘  Be  of  good  courage  and  keep  a  cheerful 
countenance.’  ” 

“  When  you  first  came  to  the  King,  did  he  ask  you 
if  you  had  any  revelation  about  your  change  of 
dress  ?  ” 


46 


JEANNE  D’ARC 

“  I  have  answered  you  about  that.  I  do  not  remember 
if  I  was  asked.  It  is  written  at  Poitiers.” 

“  Do  you  not  remember  if  the  Masters  who  questioned 
you  in  the  other  Consistory,  some  during  a  month,  others 
during  three  weeks,  questioned  you  about  your  change 
of  dress  ?  ” 

I  do  not  remember.  But  they  asked  me  where  I 
had  assumed  this  man’s  dress  ;  and  I  told  them  it  was 
at  Vaucouleurs.” 

“  Did  the  aforesaid  Masters  ask  you  if  it  were  by  order 
of  your  Voice  that  you  took  this  dress  ?  ” 

“  I  do  not  remember.” 

“Did  not  your  Queen1  ask  you,  the  first  time  you 
went  to  visit  her  ?  ” 

“  I  do  not  remember.” 

“  Did  not  your  King,  your  Queen,  or  some  of  your 
party,  tell  you  to  take  off  this  man’s  dress  ?  ” 

“  That  is  not  in  your  Case.” 

“  Were  you  not  so  told  at  the  Castle  of  Beaurevoir  ?”2 

[Here  commences  the  French  Version,  or  Minute,  which 
is  collated  with  the  Latin  Text.] 

“Yes,  truly  ;  and  I  answered  that  I  would  not  take 
it  off  without  leave  from  God.  The  Demoiselle  de 
Luxembourg 3  and  the  Lady  de  Beaurevoir 4  offered 
me  a  woman’s  dress,  or  cloth  to  make  one,  telling  me  to 
wear  it.  I  answered  them  that  I  had  not  leave  from 
Our  Lord,  and  that  it  was  not  yet  time.” 

1  Mary  of  Anjou,  wife  of  Charles  VII.,  daughter  of  Louis,  Duke  of  Anjou 
and  Yolande  of  Arragon. 

2  Jeanne  was  taken  from  Beaurevoir  early  in  August,  and  removed  from 
there,  when  the  negotiations  for  selling  her  were  complete,  about  the  middle 
of  November. 

3  Jeanne,  Countess  de  Saint-Pol  et  Ligny,  sister  to  Count  Waleran  de 
Luxembourg  and  aunt  to  Jean  de  Luxembourg. 

4  Jeanne  de  Bethune,  Viscountess  de  Meaux,  wife  of  Jean  de  Luxembourg. 
Both  these  ladies  were  at  Beaurevoir  during  Jeanne’s  captivity,  and  shewed 
her  great  kindness,  even  interceding  for  her  that  she  should  not  be  sold  to 
the  English. 


SIX  PUBLIC  EXAMINATIONS  47 

“Did  Messire  Jean  de  Pressy  1  and  others  at  Arras 
never  offer  you  a  woman’s  dress  ?  ” 

“  He  and  many  others  have  oftentimes  offered  it  to 

}) 

me. 

“  Do  you  think  that  you  would  have  done  wrong  or 
committed  mortal  sin  by  taking  a  woman’s  dress  ?  ” 

“  I  did  better  to  obey  and  serve  my  Sovereign  Lord, 
who  is  God.  Had  I  dared  to  do  it,  I  would  sooner  have 
done  it  at  the  request  of  these  ladies  than  of  any  other 
ladies  in  France,  excepting  my  Queen.” 

“  When  God  revealed  it  to  you  that  you  should  change 
your  dress,  was  it  by  the  voice  of  Saint  Michael,  Saint 
Catherine,  or  Saint  Margaret  ?  ” 

“  You  shall  not  have  anything  more  at  present.” 

“  When  your  King  first  set  you  to  work,  and  when 
you  had  your  banner  made,  did  not  the  men-at-arms 
and  others  have  their  pennons  made  in  the  style  of 

•)  i) 

yours  r 

“  It  is  well  to  know  that  the  Lords  retained  their  own 
arms.  Some  of  my  companions-in-arms  had  them  made 
at  their  pleasure  ;  others  not.” 

“  Of  what  material  did  they  have  them  made  ?  Of 
linen  or  of  cloth  ?  ” 

“It  was  of  white  satin  ;  and  on  some  there  were 
fleur-de-lys.  In  my  company  I  had  only  two  or  three 
lances.  But  my  companions-in-arms  now  and  then  had 
them  made  like  mine.  They  only  did  this  to  know  their 
men  from  others.” 

“  Did  they  often  renew  these  pennons  ?  ” 

“  I  do  not  know.  When  the  lances  were  broken,  they 
had  new  ones  made.” 

“  Have  you  sometimes  said  that  the  pennons  which 
were  like  yours  would  be  fortunate  ?  ” 

1  The  Sieur  de  Pressy,  in  Artois.  Present  in  the  Burgundian  camp  when 
Jeanne  was  taken  prisoner,  and  afterwards  at  Arras,  where  she  was  imprisoned 
on  her  way  from  Beaurevoir  to  Rouen.  The  questions  seem  to  suggest  that 
Beaupère  had  before  him  some  information  which  has  not  come  down  to  us. 


48 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


“  I  sometimes  said  to  my  followers  :  ‘  Go  in  boldly 
among  the  English  !  ’  and  I  myself  did  likewise.” 

“  Did  you  tell  them  to  carry  themselves  boldly,  and 
they  would  be  fortunate  ?  ” 

“  I  have  certainly  told  them  what  has  happened  and 
what  will  yet  happen.” 

“  Did  you  put,  or  did  you  ever  cause  to  be  put,  Holy 
Water  on  the  pennons  when  they  were  carried  for  the 
first  time  ?  ” 

“  I  know  nothing  of  it  ;  and  if  that  were  done,  it  was 
not  by  my  order.” 

“  Did  you  never  see  any  sprinkled  ?  ” 

“  That  is  not  in  your  Case.  If  I  ever  did  see  any 
sprinkled,  I  am  advised  not  to  answer  about  it.” 

“  Did  your  companions-in-arms  never  put  on  their 
pennons  ‘  Jhesus  Maria’  ?” 

“  By  my  faith  !  I  do  not  know.” 

“  Have  you  not  yourself  carried  cloth,  or  caused  it 
to  be  carried,  in  procession  round  an  altar  or  a  church, 
and  afterwards  employed  this  cloth  for  pennons  ?  ” 

“  No  ;  and  I  never  saw  it  done.” 

“When  you  were  before  Jargeau,  what  did  you  bear 
at  the  back  of  your  helmet  ?  Was  it  not  something 
round  ?  ”  1 

“  By  my  faith  !  there  was  nothing.” 

“  Did  you  ever  know  Brother  Richard  ?  ”  2 

“  I  had  not  seen  him  when  I  came  before  Troyes.” 

“  What  countenance  did  Brother  Richard  give  you  ?  ” 

1  This  may  perhaps  refer  to  a  popular  belief  in  a  halo,  as  of  a  Saint, 
surrounding  the  Maid’s  head. 

2  Brother  Richard,  a  Mendicant  Friar;  some  say,  Augustan;  some, 
Cordelier.  He  was  preaching  in  Paris  and  the  neighbourhood  in  1428-9  ; 
and  said,  amongst  other  things,  in  a  sermon  at  Sainte  Géneviève,  April  16th, 
1419,  that  “strange  things  would  happen  in  1430.”  He  professed  to  have 
been  in  Jerusalem  ;  and  his  sermons  were  so  popular  that  congregations 
were  found  to  listen  to  him  for  10  or  11  hours,  from  5  o’clock  in  the 
morning  !  He  was  driven  out  of  Paris  by  the  English  and  went  to  Troyes, 
where  he  joined  the  Maid. 


SIX  PUBLIC  EXAMINATIONS 


49 


“  I  suppose  after  the  fashion  of  the  town  of  Troyes 
who  sent  him  to  me,  saying  that  they  feared  Jeanne 
was  not  a  thing  that  came  to  them  from  God. 
When  he  approached  me,  Brother  Richard  made  the 
sign  of  the  Cross  and  sprinkled  Holy  Water  ;  and 
I  said  to  him  :  ‘  Approach  boldly,  I  shall  not  fly 

I  )  V 

away  ! 

“  Have  you  never  seen,  nor  had  made,  any  images  or 
picture  of  yourself  and  in  your  likeness  ?  ” 

“  I  saw  at  Arras  a  painting1  in  the  hands  of  a  Scot  :  it 
was  like  me.  I  was  represented  fully  armed,  presenting 
a  letter  to  my  King,  one  knee  on  the  ground.  I  have 
never  seen,  nor  had  made,  any  other  image  or  painting 
in  my  likeness.” 

“  In  the  house  of  your  host  at  Orleans,  was  there  not 
a  picture  in  which  was  painted  three  women,  with  these 
words  :  ‘Justice,  Peace,  Union’  ?” 

“  I  know  nothing  about  it.” 

“  Do  you  not  know  that  the  people  of  your  party  had 
services,  masses,  and  prayers  offered  for  you  ?  ” 

“  I  know  nothing  of  it  ;  if  they  had  any  service,  it  was 
not  by  my  order  ;  but  if  they  prayed  for  me,  my  opinion 
is  they  did  not  do  ill.” 

“  Did  those  of  your  party  firmly  believe  that  you  were 
sent  from  God  ?” 

“  I  do  not  know  if  they  believed  it,  and  in  this  I 
refer  to  their  own  feeling  in  this  matter.  But  even 
though  they  do  not  believe,  yet  am  I  sent  from  God.” 

1  No  absolutely  authentic  portraits  of  Jeanne  are  known.  A  head  of  fine 
work,  the  portrait  of  a  young  girl  wearing  a  casque  and  of  Jeanne’s  time, 
is  at  the  Musée  Historique  at  Orleans.  Tradition  asserts  that  when  Jeanne 
entered  Orleans  in  triumph  with  the  relieving  force  a  sculptor  modelled 
the  head  of  his  statue  of  St.  Maurice  from  Jeanne  herself.  This  head  is  a 
portion  of  the  statue  which  formerly  stood  in  the  church  at  Orleans  dedi¬ 
cated  to  St.  Maurice.  The  church  was  demolished  in  1850.  A  photograph 
from  the  head  is  given  as  the  frontispiece  to  this  book,  and  an  admirable 
copy  may  be  seen  at  the  Musée  du  Trocadéro  in  Paris.  It  should  have  been 
stated  on  the  frontispiece  that  the  original  is  at  Orleans,  the  copy  in  Paris. 

E 


50  JEANNE  D’ARC 

“  Do  you  not  think  they  have  a  good  belief,  if  they 
believe  this  ?  ” 

“If  they  think  that  I  am  sent  from  God,  they  will  not 
be  deceived.” 

“  In  what  spirit  did  the  people  of  your  party  kiss  your 
hands  and  your  garments  ?  ” 

“  Many  came  to  see  me  willingly,  but  they  kissed  my 
hands  as  little  as  I  could  help.  The  poor  folk  came  to 
me  readily,  because  I  never  did  them  any  unkindness  : 
on  the  contrary,  I  loved  to  help  them.” 

“What  honour  did  the  people  of  Troyes  do  you  on 
your  entry  ?  ” 

“  None  at  all.  Brother  Richard,  so  far  as  I  remember, 
entered  at  the  same  time  as  I  and  our  people  ;  I  do 
not  recall  seeing  him  at  the  entry.” 

“  Did  he  not  preach  a  sermon  on  your  arrival  in  the 
town  ?  ” 

“  I  did  not  stop  there  at  all,  and  did  not  even  sleep 
there  :  I  know  nothing  of  his  sermon.” 

“  Were  you  many  days  at  Rheims  ?  ” 

“We  were  there,  I  believe,  five  or  six  days.” 

“  Did  you  not  act  there  as  Godmother  ?”  [“  lever 
d' enfant.  ”] 

“At  Troyes  I  did,  to  one  child.  At  Rheims,  I  do  not 
remember  it,  nor  at  Château-Thierry.  I  was  Godmother 
twice  at  Saint-Denis,  in  France.  Usually,  I  gave  to  the 
boys  the  name  of  Charles,  in  honour  of  my  King  ;  and 
to  the  girls,  Jeanne.  At  other  times,  I  gave  such  names 
as  pleased  the  mothers.” 

“  Did  not  the  good  women  of  the  town  touch  with 
their  rings  that  which  you  wore  on  your  finger  ?  ” 

“  Many  women  touched  my  hands  and  my  rings  ; 
but  I  know  nothing  of  their  feelings  nor  their  in¬ 
tention.” 

“Who  of  your  people,  before  Château-Thierry,  caught 
butterflies  in  your  standard  ?” 


CHURCH  OF  SAINT  REMY. 


« 


SIX  PUBLIC  EXAMINATIONS 


5i 

“  My  people  never  did  such  a  thing  :  it  is  your  side 
who  have  invented  it.” 

“  What  did  you  do  at  Rheims  with  the  gloves  with 
which  your  King  was  consecrated  ?  ” 

“  There  were  favours  of  gloves  for  the  knights  and 
nobles  at  Rheims.  There  was  one  who  lost  his  gloves  ; 
I  did  not  say  he  would  find  them  again.  My 
standard  has  been  in  the  Church  of  Rheims  ;  and  it 
seems  to  me  it  was  near  the  altar.1  I  myself  bore  it 
for  a  space  there.  I  do  not  know  if  Brother  Richard 
held  it.” 

“  When  you  were  going  through  the  country,  did  you 
often  receive  the  Sacraments  of  Penance  and  the 

Eucharist  in  the  good  towns  ?  ” 

“Yes,  from  time  to  time.” 

“  Did  you  receive  the  said  Sacraments  in  man’s 
dress  ? ” 

“Yes;  but  I  do  not  remember  ever  to  have  received 
them  armed.” 

“  Why  did  you  take  the  horse  of  the  Bishop  of 

Senlis  ?  ” 

“  It  was  bought  for  200  saluts.2  If  he  received  these 
200  saluts,  I  do  not  know.  There  was  a  place  fixed 
at  which  they  were  to  be  paid.  I  wrote  to  him  that 

he  might  have  his  horse  back  if  he  wished  ;  as  for  me, 

1  Latin  text  adds  :  “  dum  rex  suits  consecraretur Tradition  asserts  that 
at  the  Coronation  Jeanne  stood  on  the  left  and  slightly  in  front  of  the  altar, 
coming  direct  from  the  sacristy  of  the  cathedral.  The  coronation  throne 
stood  in  front  of  the  high  altar.  The  cathedral  and  its  painted  glass  exist 
as  at  the  Coronation,  with  the  exception  of  some  comparatively  recent  stone 
work  surrounding  the  choir.  The  Coronation  of  the  Kings  of  France  has 
taken  place  at  Rheims  Cathedral  since  the  twelfth  century.  The  King  was 
not  to  all  intents  King  of  France  until  he  had  been  anointed  by  the  Holy  Oil, 
brought  in  great  state  to  the  cathedral  from  the  more  ancient  church  of 
St.  Remy. 

An  inscription  on  the  front  of  the  Hotel  Maison  Rouge,  situated  near  the 
west  entrance  of  the  cathedral,  states  that  the  town  entertained  Jeanne’s 
father  and  mother  in  that  house  during  the  Coronation. 

2  About  £ 200 . 


E  2 


52  JEANNE  D’ARC 

I  did  not  wish  it,  because  it  was  worth  nothing  for 
weight-carrying.” 

“  How  old  was  the  child  you  visited  at  Lagny  ?  ” 

“The  child  was  three  days  old.  It  was  brought 
before  the  image  of  Our  Lady.  They  told  me  that  the 
young  girls  of  the  village  were  before  this  image,  and 
that  I  might  wish  to  go  also  and  pray  God  and  Our 
Lady  to  give  life  to  this  infant.  I  went  and  prayed 
with  them.  At  last,  life  returned  to  the  child,  who 
yawned  three  times,  and  was  then  baptized  ;  soon 
after,  it  died,  and  was  buried  in  consecrated  ground. 
It  was  three  days,  they  said,  since  life  had  departed 
from  the  child  ;  it  was  as  black  as  my  coat  ;  when  it 
yawned,  the  colour  began  to  return  to  it.  I  was  with 
the  other  young  girls,  praying  and  kneeling  before 
Our  Lady.” 

“  Did  they  not  say  in  the  village  that  it  was  done 
through  you,  and  at  your  prayer  ?  ” 

“  I  did  not  enquire  about  it.” 

“  Have  you  ever  seen  or  known  Catherine  de  La 
Rochelle  ?  ” 

“Yes,  at  Jargeau  and  at  Montfaucon  in  Berry.” 

“  Did  not  Catherine  shew  you  a  lady,  robed  in  white, 
who,  she  said,  sometimes  appeared  to  her  ?  ” 

“  No.” 

“  What  did  this  Catherine  say  to  you  ?  ” 

“  That  a  white  lady  came  to  her,  dressed  in  cloth-of- 
gold,  who  told  her  to  go  through  the  good  cities  with 
heralds  and  trumpets  which  the  King  would  give  to  her, 
and  proclaim  that  any  one  who  had  gold,  silver,  or  any 
concealed  treasure  should  bring  it  immediately  :  that 
those  who  did  not  do  so,  and  who  had  anything  hidden, 
she  would  know,  and  would  be  able  to  discover  the 
treasure.  With  these  treasures,  she  told  me,  she  would 
pay  my  men-at-arms.  I  told  Catherine  that  she  should 
return  to  her  husband,  look  after  her  home,  and  bring 


SIX  PUBLIC  EXAMINATIONS 


53 


up  her  children.  And  in  order  to  have  some  cer¬ 
tainty  as  to  her  mission,  I  spoke  of  it,  either  to  Saint 
Catherine  or  to  Saint  Margaret,  who  told  me  that  the 
mission  of  this  Catherine  was  mere  folly  and  nothing 
else.  I  wrote  to  the  King  as  to  what  he  should  do 
about  it  ;  and,  when  I  afterwards  went  to  him,  I  told  him 
that  this  mission  of  Catherine  was  only  folly  and  nothing 
more.  Nevertheless,  Brother  Richard  wished  to  set  her 
to  work  ;  therefore  were  they  both  displeased  with  me, 
— Brother  Richard  and  she.” 

“  Did  you  never  speak  with  the  said  Catherine  on  the 
project  of  going  to  La  Charité-sur- Loire  ?  ” 

“  She  did  not  advise  me  to  go  there  :  it  was  too  cold, 
and  she  would  not  go.  She  told  me  she  wished  to  visit 
the  Duke  of  Burgundy  in  order  to  make  peace.  I  told 
her  it  seemed  to  me  that  peace  would  be  found  only 
at  the  end  of  the  lance.  I  asked  her  if  this  white  lady 
who  appeared  to  her  came  to  her  every  night  ?  and  I 
said  that,  to  see  her,  I  would  sleep  one  night  with  her 
in  the  same  bed.  I  went  to  bed  ;  I  watched  till  mid¬ 
night  ;  I  saw  nothing,  and  then  went  to  sleep.  When 
morning  came,  I  asked  her  if  the  White  Lady  had  come. 
‘  Yes,  Jeanne,’  she  answered  me,  ‘  while  you  were  asleep 
she  came  ;  and  I  could  not  awaken  you.’  Then  I  asked 
her  if  she  would  come  again  the  following  night.  ‘  Yes,’ 
she  told  me.  For  this  reason  I  slept  by  day  that  I 
might  be  able  to  watch  the  night  following.  I  went  to 
bed  with  Catherine  ;  watched  all  the  night  following  : 
but  saw  nothing,  although  I  asked  her  often,  ‘  Will  she 
never  come  ?’  and  she  always  answered  me,  ‘Yes,  in  a 
moment.’  ” 

“  What  did  you  do  in  the  trenches  of  La  Charité  ?  ”  1 

“  I  made  an  assault  there  ;  but  I  neither  threw,  nor 
caused  to  be  thrown,  Holy  Water  by  way  of  aspersion.” 

1  November  9th,  1429. 


54 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


“  Why  did  you  not  enter  La  Charité,  if  you  had 
command  from  God  to  do  so  ?  ” 

“  Who  told  you  I  had  God’s  command  for  it  ?  ” 

“  Did  you  not  have  counsel  of  your  Voice  ?  ” 

“  I  wished  to  go  into  France.  The  men-at-arms  told 
me  it  was  better  to  go  first  to  La  Charité.” 

“  Were  you  a  long  time  in  the  Tower  at  Beaure- 
voir  ?  ” 

“  About  four  months.  When  I  knew  that  the  English 
were  come  to  take  me,  I  was  very  angry  ;  nevertheless, 
my  Voices  forbade  me  many  times  to  leap,  In  the  end, 
for  fear  of  the  English,  I  leaped,  and  commended  myself 
to  God  and  Our  Lady.  I  was  wounded.  When  I  had 
leaped,  the  Voice  of  Saint  Catherine  said  to  me  I  was 
to  be  of  good  cheer,1  for  those  at  Compiègne  would 
have  succour.  I  prayed  always  for  those  at  Compiègne, 
with  my  Counsel.” 

“  What  did  you  say  when  you  had  leaped  ?  ” 

“  Some  said  I  was  dead.  As  soon  as  the  Burgundians 
saw  I  was  alive,  they  reproached  me  with  having 
leapt.” 

“  Did  you  not  say  then,  that  you  would  rather  die  than 
be  in  the  hands  of  the  English  ?  ” 

“  I  said  I  would  rather  give  up  my  soul  to  God  than 
be  in  the  hands  of  the  English.” 

“  Were  you  not  then  very  angry,  to  the  extent  of 
blaspheming  the  Name  of  God  ?” 

“  Never  have  I  cursed  any  of  the  Saints  ;  and  it  is  not 
my  habit  to  swear.” 

“  On  the  subject  of  Soissons  2  and  the  Captain  who 
surrendered  the  town,  did  you  not  blaspheme  God,  and 
say,  if  you  got  hold  of  this  Captain  you  would  have 
him  cut  in  quarters  ?” 

1  The  Minute  adds  :  “and  I  should  be  cured.” 

2  Surrendered  July  22nd. 


NINE  PRIVATE  EXAMINATIONS 


55 

“  I  have  never  blasphemed  any  of  the  Saints  ;  those 
who  say  so  have  misunderstood.” 

This  done,  Jeanne  was  conducted  back  to  the  place 
which  had  been  assigned  as  her  prison. 


Nine  Private  Examinations. 

The  Bishop  decrees  that  the  Enquiries ,  if  any  are 
thought  necessary ,  shall  henceforth  be  made  in  private. 

Afterwards,  We,  the  Bishop,  did  say  that,  in  pursuing 
this  Process  and  without  in  any  way  discontinuing  it,  We 
would  call  before  Us  some  Doctors  and  Masters,  experts 
in  law,  religious  and  civil,  in  order,  by  them,  to  gather 
up  and  collect  what  shall  seem  to  them  of  a  nature  to  be 
gathered  up  and  collected,  in  Jeanne’s  Declarations,  as 
these  have  already  been  established  by  her  own  answers 
set  down  in  writing.  Their  labour  ended,  if  there  should 
remain  any  points,  on  the  which  it  would  seem  Jeanne 
should  submit  to  more  full  enquiry,  We  will  make,  for 
this  supplementary  examination,  choice  of  certain  Doc¬ 
tors  ;  and  in  this  manner  We  shall  not  fatigue  all  and 
each  of  the  Masters,  who,  at  this  moment,  assist  Us  in 
such  great  numbers.  These  new  enquiries  shall  also  be 
put  into  writing,  in  order  that  the  above-named  Doctors 
and  other  approved  men  of  science  may  deliberate  and 
furnish  their  opinion  and  advice  at  the  right  moment. 
In  the  meantime,  We  invite  all  the  Assessors  to  study 
at  home  the  Process,  and  what  they  have  already  gathered 
from  it  ;  to  search  out  the  consequences  of  which  the 
affair  is  susceptible  ;  and  to  submit  the  result  of  their 
deliberations  either  to  Us,  or  to  the  Doctors  who  shall 
be  appointed  by  Us — if  they  do  not  prefer  rather  to 
reserve  themselves  for  the  time  and  place  when  they 
shall  have  deliberated  in  full  maturity  ;  and  to  give  their 
opinion  on  full  knowledge  of  the  Process. 


56 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


In  the  meantime,  We  expressly  forbid  all  and  each 
to  leave  Rouen  without  Our  permission  before  the  full 
completion  of  the  Process. 


Meeting  at  the  Bishop's  House  of  several  Doctors. 

Sunday,  March  4th,  and  the  Monday,  Tuesday, 
Wednesday,  Thursday,  and  Friday,  5th,  6th,  7th,  8th, 
and  9th  of  the  same  month,  We,  the  Bishop,  assembled 
in  Our  dwelling,  many  grave  Doctors-  and  Masters-in- 
law,  sacred  and  civil,  who  were  charged  by  Us  to  collect 
all  that  has  been  confessed  or  answered  by  Jeanne  in 
these  Enquiries,  and  to  extract  therefrom  the  points  on 
which  she  answered  in  an  incomplete  manner,  and  which 
seem  to  these  Doctors  susceptible  of  further  examina¬ 
tion.  This  double  work  having  been  effected  by  them, 
We,  the  said  Bishop,  by  the  advice  of  the  said  Doctors, 
decide  that  there  is  occasion  to  proceed  to  further 
enquiries.  But  because  Our  numerous  occupations  do 
not  permit  Us  to  attend  ourselves,1  we  appoint,  to  pro¬ 
ceed  therein,  the  venerable  and  discreet  person,  Jean 
Delafontaine,  Master  of  Arts  and  Licentiate  in  Canon 
Law,  who  will  interrogate  the  said  Jeanne  in  Our  name. 
We  have  for  this  appointed  the  9th  March,  in  presence 
of  the  Doctors  and  Masters,  Jean  Beaupère,  Jacques  de 
Touraine,  Nicolas  Midi,  Pierre  Maurice,  Thomas  de 
Courcelles,  Nicolas  Loyseleur,  and  Guillaume  Manchon. 

Saturday,  March  10th,  We,  the  Bishop,  repaired  to 
the  part  of  the  Castle  of  Rouen  given  to  Jeanne  as  a 
prison,  where,  being  assisted  by  Maître  Jean  Delafon¬ 
taine,  the  Commissary  appointed  by  Us,  and  by  the 
venerable  Doctors  and  Masters  in  Theology,  Nicolas 
Midi,  and  Gerard  Feuillet  (witnesses,  Jean  Fécard, 
Advocate;  and  Maître  Jean  Massieu,  Priest),  We  sum- 

1  In  spite  of  this  assertion,  the  Bishop  was  present  at  four  out  of  the 
nine  Examinations. 


NINE  PRIVATE  EXAMINATIONS 


57 

moned  Jeanne  to  make  and  take  oath  to  speak  the  truth 
on  what  should  be  asked  of  her.  She  replied  : 

“  I  promise  to  speak  truth  on  what  touches  your  Case  ; 
but  the  more  you  constrain  me  to  swear,  the  later  will  I 
tell  you.” 

Afterwards,  the  examination  of  Jeanne  by  Maître  Jean 
Delafontaine  took  place  as  follows  : 

“  On  the  faith  of  the  oath  you  have  just  taken,  from 
whence  had  you  started  when  you  went  the  last  time  to 
Compiègne  ?  ” 

“  From  Crespy,  in  Valois.” 

“  When  you  were  at  Compiègne,  were  you  several 
days  before  you  made  your  sally  or  attack  ?  ” 

“  I  arrived  there  secretly  early  in  the  morning,1  and 
entered  the  town  without  the  enemy  knowing  anything 
of  it  ;  and  that  same  day,  in  the  evening,  I  made  the 
sally  in  which  I  was  taken.” 

“  When  you  made  your  sally,  did  they  ring  the  bells  ?  ” 
“  If  they  did  ring  them  it  was  not  by  my  order  or 
knowledge  ;  I  do  not  think  it  was  so,  and  I  do  not 
remember  to  have  said  they  rang.” 

“  Did  you  make  this  sally  by  command  of  your  Voice  ?  ” 
“  During  the  Easter  week  of  last  year,  being  in  the 
trenches  of  Melun,  it  was  told  me  by  my  Voices — that 
is  to  say,  by  Saint  Catherine  and  Saint  Margaret — ‘  Thou 
wilt  be  taken  before  Saint  John’s  Day  ;  and  so  it  must 
be  :  do  not  torment  thyself  about  it  :  be  resigned  ;  God 
will  help  thee.’  ” 

“  Before  this  occasion  at  Melun,  had  not  your  Voices 
ever  told  you  that  you  would  be  taken  ?  ” 

“Yes,  many  times  and  nearly  everyday.  And  I  asked 
of  my  Voices  that,  when  I  should  be  taken,  I  might  die 
soon,  without  long  suffering  in  prison  ;  and  they  said  to 
me  :  ‘  Be  resigned  to  all — thus  it  must  be.’  But  they 
did  not  tell  me  the  time  ;  and  if  I  had  known  it,  I  should 

1  On  May  23rd,  1430. 


58  JEANNE  D’ARC 

not  have  gone.  Often  I  asked  to  know  the  hour  :  they 
never  told  me.” 

“  Did  your  Voices  command  you  to  make  this  sally 
from  Compiègne,  and  signify  that  you  would  be  taken  if 
you  went  ?  ” 

“  If  I  had  known  the  hour  when  I  should  be  taken,  I 
should  never  have  gone  of  mine  own  free-will  ;  I  should 
always  have  obeyed  their  commands  in  the  end,  what¬ 
ever  might  happen  to  me.” 

“  When  you  made  this  sally  from  Compiègne  had  you 
any  Voice  or  revelation  about  making  it  ?  ” 

“  That  day  I  did  not  know  at  all  that  I  should  be 
taken,  and  I  had  no  other  command  to  go  forth  ;  but 
they  had  always  told  me  it  was  necessary  for  me  to 
be  taken  prisoner.” 

“When  you  made  this  sally,  did  you  pass  by  the 
Bridge  of  Compiègne  ?  ” 

“  I  passed  by  the  bridge  and  the  boulevard,  and  went 
with  the  company  of  followers  of  my  side  against  the 
followers  of  my  Lord  of  Luxembourg.  I  drove  them 
back  twice  against  the  camp  of  the  Burgundians,  and 
the  third  time,  to  the  middle  of  the  highway.  The 
English  who  were  there  then  cut  off  the  road  from 
me  and  my  people,  between  us  and  the  boulevard. 
For  this  reason,  my  followers  retreated,  and,  in  re¬ 
treating  towards  the  fields,  on  the  Picardy  side,  near 
the  boulevard,  I  was  taken.  Between  Compiègne  and 
the  place  where  I  was  taken  there  is  nothing  but  the 
stream  and  the  boulevard  with  its  ditch.” 

“  Did  you  not  have  on  the  banner  you  carried  a 
representation  of  the  world,  painted  with  two  angels, 
etc.  ?  ” 

“Yes  ;  and  I  had  no  other.” 

“  What  did  this  signify,  to  paint  God  holding  the 
world,  and  these  angels  ?  ” 

“  Saint  Catherine  and  Saint  Margaret  told  me  that 


THE  BATTLE  OF  HERRINGS. 

From  a  French  Manuscript  of  the  XVth  Century. 


THE  MAID  TAKEN  PRISONER 


NINE  PRIVATE  EXAMINATIONS 


59 


I  was  to  take  my  banner  and  to  carry  it  boldly,  and  to 
have  painted  on  it  the  King  of  Heaven.  I  told  my 
King,  much  against  my  will  :  that  is  all  I  can  tell  of 
the  signification  of  this  painting.” 

“  Have  you  not  a  shield  and  arms  ?  ” 

“  I  never  had  one  ;  but  my  King  has  granted  arms  to 
my  brothers, — that  is  to  say,  a  shield  azure,  two  fleurs- 
de-lys  of  gold,  and  a  sword  betwixt.  These  arms  I 
described  in  this  town  to  a  painter,  because  he  asked  what 
arms  I  bore.  The  King  gave  them  to  my  brothers, 
[to  please  1  them,]  without  request  from  me  and  without 
revelation.” 

“  Had  you,  when  you  were  taken,  a  horse,  charger, 
or  hackney  ?  ” 

“  I  was  on  horseback  ;  the  one  which  I  was  riding 
when  I  was  taken  was  a  demi-charger.” 

“  Who  had  given  you  this  horse?” 

“  My  King,  or  his  people,  from  the  King’s  money. 
I  had  five  chargers  from  the  King’s  money,  without 
counting  my  hacks,  of  which  I  had  more  than  seven.” 

“  Had  you  any  other  riches  from  your  King  besides 
these  horses  ?  ” 

“  I  asked  nothing  from  my  King,  except  good  arms, 
good  horses,  and  money  to  pay  my  household.” 

“Had  you  no  treasure  ?  ” 

“  The  ten  or  twelve  thousand  I  was  worth  is  not  much 
treasure  to  carry  on  war,  very  little  indeed  ;  and  such 
goods  are  my  brothers’,  in  my  opinion  ;  what  I  have 
is  my  King’s  own  money.” 

“  What  was  the  sign  2  that  came  to  your  King  when 
you  went  to  him  ?  ” 

“  It  was  beautiful,  honourable,  and  most  credible  ;  the 
best  and  richest  in  the  world.” 

1  In  the  Minute  only. 

2  Not  in  the  Minute.  Latin  text  reads  :  “  quod  dédit  regi  suo  dum  venit 
ad  eum 


6o 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


“  Then  why  will  you  not  tell  it  and  shew  it,  since  you 
wished  to  have  the  sign  1  of  Catherine  de  la  Rochelle  ?  ” 

“  I  might  not  have  asked  to  know  the  sign  of  the  said 
Catherine,  had  that  sign  been  as  well  shewn  before 
notable  people  of  the  Church  and  others,  Archbishops 
and  Bishops,  as  mine  was  before  the  Archbishop  of 
Rheims  and  other  Bishops  whose  names  I  know  not. 
There  were  there  also  Charles  de  Bourbon,  the  Sire  de 
la  Tremouille,  the  Duke  d’Alençon,2  and  many  other 
knights,  who  saw  and  heard  it  as  well  as  I  see  those 
who  speak  to  me  to-day  ;  and,  besides,  I  knew  already, 
through  Saint  Catherine  and  Saint  Margaret,  that  the 
doings  of  this  Catherine  were  as  nothing.” 

“  Does  this  sign  still  last  ?  ” 

“  It  is  well  to  know  it  ;  it  will  last  a  thousand  years 
and  more.  My  sign  is  with  the  King’s  treasure.” 

“  Is  it  gold,  silver,  precious  stones,  or  a  crown  ?  ” 

“  I  will  tell  you  nothing  more  about  it.  No  man  in 
the  world  could  devise  so  rich  a  thing  as  this  sign  ;  but 
the  sign  that  you  need  is  that  God  may  deliver  me  from 
your  hands  ;  that  is  the  most  sure  sign  He  could  send 
you.  When  I  was  about  to  start  to  see  my  King,  my 
Voices  told  me  :  ‘  Go  boldly  ;  when  thou  art  before  the 
King,  he  shall  have  a  sure  sign  to  receive  thee  and 
believe  in  thee.’  ” 

“When  the  sign  came  to  your  King,  what  reverence 
did  you  make  to  it  ?  Did  it  come  from  God  ?  ” 

“  I  thanked  Our  Lord  for  having  delivered  me  from 
the  trouble  that  I  had  with  the  clergy  of  my  party,  who 
were  arguing  against  me  ;  and  I  knelt  down  several 
times.  An  Angel  from  God,  and  from  none  other,  sent 
the  sign  to  my  King  ;  and  for  this  I  have  many  times 

1  The  “  sign,”  i.e.  the  appearance  of  “  the  White  Lady.” 

2  Jean,  Duke  d’Alençon  :  son  of  the  Duke  killed  at  Agincourt.  He  was 
of  the  blood-royal  of  France,  and  had  married  a  daughter  of  the  Duke 
d’Orléans.  Jeanne  was  on  very  friendly  terms  with  him,  and  always  called 
him  her  “  Beau  Due.” 


NINE  PRIVATE  EXAMINATIONS 


6  r 

thanked  Our  Lord.  The  priests  of  that  party  ceased  to 
attack  me  when  they  had  recognized  the  sign.” 

“  The  Clergy  of  that  party  then  saw  the  sign  ?  ” 

“  When  my  King  and  those  who  were  with  him  had 
seen  the  sign  and  also  the  Angel1  that  brought  it,  I  asked 
my  King  if  he  were  satisfied.  He  answered,  Yes. 
Then  I  left,  and  went  to  a  little  chapel  close  by.  I  have 
since  heard  that,  after  I  left,  more  than  three  hundred 
persons  saw  the  said  sign.  For  love  of  me  and  that  I 
should  not  be  questioned  about  it,  God  permitted  certain 
men  of  my  party  to  see  the  sign  in  reality.” 

“Your  King  and  you,  did  you  do  reverence  to  the 
Angel  who  brought  the  sign  ?  ” 

“  Yes  ;  I  made  a  salutation,  knelt  down,  and  took  off 
my  cap.” 


Monday ,  March  12 th,  in  the  morning;  in  Jeannes 
prison. — Present  :  The  Bishop ,  assisted  by  Jean  Delafon- 
taine,  Commissary  ;  Nicholas  Midi  and  Gerard  Feuillet  ; 
and  as  tkeir  witnesses  :  Thomas  Fiefvet ,  Pasquier  de 
Vaux ,  and  Nicolas  de  Houbent. 

In  presence  of  all  the  above-named,  We  required  the 
said  Jeanne  to  swear  to  speak  truth  on  what  should  be 
asked  her. 

She  replied  :  “  On  what  touches  your  Case ,  as  I  have 
said  already,  I  will  willingly  speak  truth.”  And  thus  did 
she  make  oath. 

Then,  by  Our  order,  she  was  questioned  by  Maître 
Jean  Delafontaine  : 

“  Did  not  the  Angel  who  bore  the  sign  to  your  King 
speak  to  him  ?  ” 

“  Yes,  he  spoke  to  him  ;  and  he  told  my  King  it 

1  The  allegory  of  the  Angel  sent  with  a  crown,  here  first  given  to  avoid 
“perjury,”  breaking  her  promise  to  preserve  the  King’s  secret,  is 
explained  by  Jeanne  herself,  on  the  last  day  of  her  life,  to  mean  her  own 
mission  from  Heaven  to  lead  Charles  to  his  crowning. 


62 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


was  necessary  that  I  should  be  set  to  work,  so  that  the 
country  might  be  soon  relieved.” 

“Was  the  Angel  who  bore  the  sign  to  your  King  the 
same  Angel  who  had  before  appeared  to  you  ?  ” 

“  It  is  all  one  ;  and  he  has  never  failed  me.” 

“  Has  not  the  Angel,  then,  failed  you  with  regard  to 
the  good  things  of  this  life,  in  that  you  have  been  taken 
prisoner  ?  ” 

“  I  think,  as  it  has  pleased  Our  Lord,  that  it  is  for  my 
well-being  that  I  was  taken  prisoner.” 

“  Has  your  Angel  never  failed  you  in  the  good  things 
of  grace  ?  ” 

“  How  can  he  fail  me,  when  he  comforts  me  every 
day  ?  My  comfort  comes  from  Saint  Catherine  and 
Saint  Margaret.” 

“  Do  you  call  them,  or  do  they  come  without  being  ' 
called  ?  ” 

“  They  often  come  without  being  called  ;  and  other 
times,  if  they  do  not  come  soon,  I  pray  Our  Lord  to 
send  them.” 

“  Have  you  sometimes  called  them  without  their 
coming  ?  ” 

“  I  have  never  had  need  of  them  without  having 
them.” 

“  Has  Saint  Denis  appeared  to  you  sometimes  ?  ” 

“  Not  that  I  know.” 

“  When  you  promised  Our  Saviour  to  preserve  your 
virginity,  was  it  to  Him  that  you  spoke  ?” 

“It  would  quite  suffice  that  I  give  my  promise  to 
those  who  were  sent  by  Him — that  is  to  say,  to  Saint 
Catherine  and  Saint  Margaret.” 

“  Who  induced  you  to  have  cited  a  man  of  the  town 
of  Toul  on  the  question  of  marriage  ?” 

“  I  did  not  have  him  cited  ;  it  was  he,  on  the  contrary, 
who  had  me  cited  ;  and  then  I  swore  before  the  Judge 
to  speak  the  truth.  And  besides,  I  had  promised 


NINE  PRIVATE  EXAMINATIONS 


63 


nothing  to  this  man.  From  the  first  time  I  heard  my 
Voices,  I  dedicated  my  virginity  for  so  long  as  it  should 
please  God  ;  and  I  was  then  about  thirteen  years  of  age. 
My  Voices  told  me  I  should  win  my  case  in  this  town  of 
Toul.” 

“  As  to  your  visions,  did  you  speak  of  them  to  your 
Curé  or  to  any  other  Churchman  ?  ” 

“No  ;  only  to  Robert  de  Baudricourt  and  to  my  King. 
It  was  not  my  Voices  who  compelled  me  to  keep  them 
secret  ;  but  I  feared  to  reveal  them,  in  dread  that  the 
Burgundians  might  put  some  hindrance  in  the  way  of 
my  journey  ;  and,  in  particular,  I  was  afraid  that  my 
father  would  hinder  it.” 

“  Do  you  think  that  you  did  right  to  go  without  leave 
from  your  father  or  mother,  when  you  should  ‘  honour 
your  father  and  mother  ’  ?  ” 

“In  all  things  I  obeyed  them  well,  except  in  that  of 
the  journey  :  but  afterwards  I  wrote  to  them,  and  they 
forgave  me.” 

“  When  you  left  your  father  and  mother,  do  you  think 
you  sinned  ?  ” 

“If  God  commanded,  it  was  right  to  obey.  If  God 
commanded  it,  had  I  had  a  hundred  fathers  and  mothers, 
and  had  I  been  a  king’s  daughter,  I  should  have  gone.” 

“  Did  you  ask  your  Voices  if  you  should  announce 
your  departure  to  your  father  and  mother  ?  ” 

“  As  to  my  father  and  mother,  my  Voices  would  have 
been  quite  willing  I  should  tell  them,  had  it  not  been  for 
the  trouble  I  should  have  caused  them  in  speaking  of  this. 
As  for  myself,  I  would  not  have  told  them  at  any  price. 
My  Voices  agreed  that  I  might  either  speak  to  my 
father  and  mother  or  be  silent.” 

“  Did  you  do  reverence  to  Saint  Michael  and  the 
Angels  when  you  saw  them  ?  ” 

“  Yes  ;  and,  after  they  were  gone  I  kissed  the  earth 
where  they  had  been.” 


64 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


“  Were  they  long  with  you  ?  ” 

“Very  often  they  came  among  the  faithful  [i.e.,  in 
church]  without  being  seen  ;  and  often  I  saw  them 
among  the  faithful.” 

“Had  you  had  any  letters  from  Saint  Michael  or 
from  your  Voices  ?” 

“  I  have  not  permission  to  tell  you.  Eight  days  from 
this,  I  will  tell  you  willingly  what  I  know.” 

“  Did  not  your  Voices  call  you  ‘  Daughter  of  God, 
daughter  of  the  Church,  great-hearted  daughter  ?  ’  ” 

“  Before  the  raising  of  the  Siege  of  Orleans  and 
every  day  since,  when  they  speak  to  me,  they  call  me 
often,  ‘Jeanne  the  Maid,  Daughter  of  God.’  ” 

“  Since  you  call  yourself  a  daughter  of  God,  why  do 
you  not  willingly  say  £  Our  Father  ’  ?  ” 

“  I  do  say  it  willingly.  Last  time,  when  I  refused,  it 
was  because  I  meant  that  my  Lord  of  Beauvais  should 
hear  me  in  confession.” 


The  same  day ,  Monday,  in  the  afternoon ,  in  the  same 
place. — Present  :  Jean  Delafontaine ,  Commissary  ;  Nico¬ 
las  Midi  ;  Gerard  Feuillet  ;  Thomas  Fie f vet  ;  Pasquier 
de  Vaux;  and  Nicolas  de  Houbent. 

The  said  Jeanne  was  interrogated  as  follows  by  Our 
order  by  the  said  Jean  Delafontaine  : 

“  Did  not  your  father  have  dreams  about  you  before 
your  departure  ?  ” 

“  When  I  was  still  with  my  father  and  mother,  my 
mother  told  me  many  times  that  my  father  had  spoken 
of  having  dreamed  that  I,  Jeannette,  his  daughter,  went 
away  with  the  men-at-arms.  My  father  and  mother 
took  great  care  to  keep  me  safe,  and  held  me  much  in 
subjection.  I  obeyed  them  in  everything,  except  in  the 
case  at  Toul — the  action  for  marriage.  I  have  heard 
my  mother  say  that  my  father  told  my  brothers  :  ‘  Truly, 


NINE  PRIVATE  EXAMINATIONS 


65 

if  I  thought  this  thing  would  happen  that  I  have 
dreamed  about  my  daughter,  I  would  wish  you  to  drown 
her  ;  and,  if  you  would  not  do  it,  I  would  drown  her 
myself!’  He  nearly  lost  his  senses  when  I  went  to 
Vaucouleurs.” 

“  Did  these  thoughts  and  dreams  come  to  your  father 
after  you  had  your  visions  ?  ” 

“  Yes,  more  than  two  years  after  I  had  had  my  first 
Voice.” 

“  Was  it  at  the  request  of  Robert  de  Baudricourt  or 
of  yourself  that  you  took  man’s  dress  ?  ” 

“It  was  of  myself,  and  at  the  request  of  no  living 
man.” 

“Did  your  Voices  command  you  to  take  man’s  dress  ?” 

“  All  that  I  have  done  of  good,  I  have  done  by  the 
command  of  my  Voices.  As  to  the  dress,  I  will  answer 
about  it  another  time  :  at  present  I  am  not  advised,  but 
to-morrow  I  will  answer.” 

“In  taking  man’s  dress,  did  you  think  you  were  doing 
wrong  ?  ” 

“No  ;  even  now  if  I  were  with  those  of  my  own  side 
and  in  this  man’s  dress,  it  seems  to  me  it  would  be 
a  great  good  for  France  to  do  as  I  did  before  I  was 
taken.” 

“  How  would  you  have  delivered  the  Duke  d’Or¬ 
léans  ?  ” 

“  I  should  have  taken  enough  English  prisoners  in 
France  to  have  exchanged  him  back  ;  if  I  had  not  taken 
enough  in  France,  I  should  have  crossed  the  sea  to  seek 
him  in  England,  by  force.” 

“  Did  Saint  Catherine  and  Saint  Margaret  tell  you 
absolutely  and  without  condition  that  you  would  take 
enough  English  to  get  the  Duke  d’Orléans,  who  is  in 
England,  or  that  otherwise  you  would  cross  the  sea  to 
seek  him  ?  ”  1 

1  In  the  Minute  :  “ et  Vadmener  en  trois  ans”  :  not  in  the  Latin  Text 


F 


66 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


“Yes,  and  I  said  so  to  my  King  :  and  he  allowed  me 
to  treat  with  the  English  lords  who  were  then  prisoners.1 
If  I  had  continued  three  years  without  hindrance,  I 
should  have  delivered  him.  To  do  this,  it  needed  less 
time  than  three  years  and  more  than  one.  But  I  do 
not  remember  about  it.” 

“  What  was  the  sign  you  gave  to  the  King  ?  ” 

“I  shall  take  counsel  regarding  that  from  Saint 
Catherine.” 

Monday ,  March  12 th,  assembled  in  Our  dwelling, 
summoned  by  Us,  the  religious  and  discreet  person, 
Brother  Jean  Lemaître,  of  the  Order  of  Saint  Dominic , 
Deputy  of  the  Inquisitor  of  the  Evil  of  Heresy  in  the 
Kingdom  of  France,  in  presence  of  the  Venerable  and 
discreet  persons  the  Lords  and  Masters,  Thomas  Fiefvet, 
Pasquier  de  Vaux,  Nicolas  de  Houbent,  Brother 
Ysambard  de  la  Pierre. 

We,  the  Bishop,  did  shew  to  the  said  Deputy,  that, 
at  the  outset  of  the  Action  for  Heresy  brought  by  us 
against  the  woman,  commonly  called  Jeanne  the  Maid, 
We  had  summoned  and  required  him,  the  said  Deputy, 
to  join  with  us  ;  and  that  we  had  offered  to  communicate 
to  him  the  acts,  documents  and,  in  one  word,  all  we 
possess  bearing  on  the  matter  of  the  Process.  He  had 
then  made  a  difficulty,  not  being,  he  told  Us,  com¬ 
missioned  except  for  the  City  and  Diocese  of  Rouen  ; 
and  the  Action  in  question  being  deduced  by  Us  ;  by 
right  of  our  jurisdiction  of  Beauvais,  on  territory  con¬ 
ceded  to  Us  for  this  purpose.  For  this  cause,  in  order 
to  give  all  security  to  this  matter  and  by  an  excess  of 
precaution,  We  have,  by  the  advice  of  the  Masters, 
decided  to  write  about  it  to  the  Chief  Inquisitor,  request¬ 
ing  him  to  come  himself  without  delay  to  Rouen,  or 
specially  to  appoint  a  Deputy  to  whom,  for  the  deduction 

1  The  Minute  reads  :  “  la  laissant  faire  de  prisonniers." 


NINE  PRIVATE  EXAMINATIONS 


67 


and  completion  of  the  Process,  he  might  wish  to  give  full 
powers.  The  said  Inquisitor  hath  received  Our  letter, 
and  acceding  with  kindness  to  Our  request,  for  the 
honour  and  exaltation  of  the  Orthodox  Faith,  he  hath 
specially  commissioned  and  appointed  for  this  Action 
the  said  Brother  Jean  Lemaître,  as  doth  appear  in  the 
letters  patent  furnished  and  attested  with  the  seal  of  the 
Inquisition. 

In  consequence  of  this  letter,  We,  the  Bishop,  summon 
and  require  the  said  Brother  Jean  Lemaître,  here  present, 
in  the  terms  of  the  said  letter,  to  join  with  us  in  this  said 
Action. 

To  which  the  said  Brother  answered  :  that  he  would 
examine  the  Commission  addressed  to  him,  the  Process 
signed  by  the  registrars,  and  all  that  it  should  please  Us 
to  communicate  to  him  ;  and  that,  all  being  seen  and 
examined  by  him,  he  will  give  Us  an  answer  and  will  do 
for  the  Holy  Inquisition  that  which  is  right. 

We,  the  Bishop,  added  :  that  the  said  Deputy  had 
been  present  at  a  great  part  of  the  Process  ;  that  he 
had,  in  consequence,  been  able  to  hear  a  great  part  of 
Jeanne’s  answers;  that  nevertheless  We  held  ourselves 
satisfied  by  what  he  had  just  said,  and  would  certainly 
communicate  to  him  the  Process  and  all  that  had  already 
been  done,  that  he  may  take  fuller  cognizance  of  every¬ 
thing. 

The  Deputy  Inquisitor  joins  the  Court. 

Tuesday ,  March  13th,  in  the  prison.  Present  : 
The  Bishop  and  Brother  Jean  Lemaître ,  assisted  by 
Jean  Delafontame ,  Nicolas  Midi ,  and  Gerard  Feuillet  ; 
witnesses ,  Nicolas  de  Houbent  and  Ysambard  de  la 
Pierre. 

The  said  Brother  Jean  Lemaître  declared  to  Us  that 
seeing  the  letter  addressed  to  him  which  we  had  yester¬ 
day  communicated,  together  with  the  other  circumstances 


f  2 


68 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


of  the  Process,  and  all  being  well  considered,  he  joins 
himself  to  Us  and  is  ready  to  proceed  with  Us  according 
to  law  and  right. 

We,  the  Bishop,  then  made  known  with  gentleness  to 
Jeanne  this  intervention,  exhorting  and  warning  her,  for 
the  salvation  of  her  soul,  to  speak  the  truth  on  all  which 
should  be  asked  of  her. 

The  Deputy  Inquisitor  appoints  his  Officers. 

And  then,  the  Deputy  of  the  Chief  Inquisitor,  wishing 
to  proceed  regularly  in  the  Process,  hath  declared  his 
choice  of  the  Officers  whose  names  follow  : 

1.  As  Promoter  from  the  Holy  Inquisition,  Messire 
Jean  d’Estivet,  Canon  of  the  Churches  of  Bayeux  and 
Beauvais. 

2.  As  Registrar  of  his  office,  Messire  Nicolas  Taquel, 
Priest  of  the  Diocese  of  Rouen,  Notary  Public  and 
Registrar  of  the  Archiépiscopal  Court  of  Rouen. 

3.  As  Executor  of  his  Orders  and  Citations,  Messire 
Jean  Massieu,  Priest. 

4.  As  keepers  of  the  prison,  the  noble  man,  John 
Gris,  Squire  of  the  Body  Guard  of  Our  Lord  the  King, 
and  John  Berwoit.  These,  We,  the  Bishop,  had,  with 
the  exception  of  Messire  Nicolas  Taquel,  but  only  in 
that  which  concerns  Our  office,  already  appointed  to  the 
same  functions,  as  confirmed  for  Our  part  in  the  letters 
above  quoted,  and  as  confirmed  by  the  said  Inquisitor 
by  his  letters,  of  which  mention  follows.  The  said 
officers  did  then  take  oath,  between  the  hands  of  the 
said  Deputy,  to  faithfully  fulfil  their  functions. 

[Here  follow  the  three  letters  of  Nomination  of  the 
Promoter,  d’Estivet  ;  the  Registrar,  Taquel  ;  and  the 
Usher,  Massieu  :  dated  Tuesday,  March  13th  :  signed 
Boisguillaume,  Manchon  :  the  nomination  of  Taquel, 
Registrar,  is  dated  March  14th.] 


NINE  PRIVATE  EXAMINATIONS 


69 

All  which  precedes  having  already  taken  place,  as  has 
been  said  up  to  the  present  time,  We,  the  Bishop,  and 
Brother  Jean  Lemaître,  Deputy  of  the  Inquisitor,  have 
from  this  moment  proceeded  together  to  all  the  remainder 
of  the  Process,  and  have  questioned  or  caused  questions 
to  be  made  as  it  had  begun. 


Tuesday ,  March  13th. — Present:  The  Bishop ,  and 
Brother  Jean  Lemaître ,  Jean  Delajontaine ,  Nicolas 
Midi ,  Gerard  Feuillet  ;  in  the  presence  of  Nicolas  de 
Houbent  and  of  Brother  Ysambard  de  la  Pierre. 

By  Our  order,  Jeanne  was  asked  as  follows  : 

“  What  was  the  sign  you  gave  your  King  ?  ” 

“  Will  you  be  satisfied  that  I  should  perjure  myself  ?  ” 
“  Have  you  promised  and  sworn  to  Saint  Catherine 
that  you  will  not  tell  this  sign  ?  ” 

“  I  promised  and  swore  not  to  tell  this  sign,  and  for 
my  own  sake,  because  I  was  pressed  too  much  to  tell  it, 
and  then  I  said  to  myself  :  ‘  I  promise  not  to  speak  of 
it  to  anyone  in  the  world.’  The  sign  was  that  an  Angel 
assured  my  King,  in  bringing  him  the  crown,  that  he 
should  have  the  whole  realm  of  France,  by  the  means 
of  God’s  help  and  my  labours  ;  that  he  was  to  start  me 
on  the  work — that  is  to  say,  to  give  me  men-at-arms  ; 
and  that  otherwise  he  would  not  be  so  soon  crowned 
and  consecrated.” 

“  Have  you  spoken  to  Saint  Catherine  since  yester¬ 
day  ?  ” 

“  I  have  heard  her  since  yesterday,  and  she  has  several 
times  told  me  to  reply  boldly  to  the  Judges  on  what  they 
shall  ask  me  touching  my  Case.” 

“  How  did  the  Angel  carry  the  crown  ?  and  did  he 
place  it  himself  on  your  King’s  head  ?  ” 

“  The  crown  was  given  to  an  Archbishop — that  is, 
to  the  Archbishop  of  Rheims— so  it  seems  to  me,  in  the 


7o 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


presence  of  my  King.  The  Archbishop  received  it,  and 
gave  it  to  the  King.  I  was  myself  present.  The  crown 
was  afterwards  put  among  my  King’s  treasures.” 

“To  what  place  was  the  crown  brought  ?  ” 

“  To  the  King’s  Chamber,  in  the  Castle  of  Chinon.” 

“  What  day  and  what  time  ?  ” 

“  The  day,  I  do  not  know  ;  of  the  time,  it  was  full 
day.  I  have  no  further  recollection  of  it.  Of  the  month 
it  was  March  or  April,  it  seems  to  me.  In  this  present 
month  of  March  or  next  April  it  will  be  two  years  since. 
It  was  after  Easter.”1 

“  Was  it  the  first  day  that  you  saw  the  sign  when  the 
King  saw  it  ?  ” 

“Yes,  he  had  it  the  same  day.” 

“  Of  what  material  was  the  said  crown  ?  ” 

“It  is  well  to  know  it  was  of  fine  gold;  it  was  so 
rich  that  I  do  not  know  how  to  count  its  riches  or  to 
appreciate  its  beauty.  The  crown  signified  that  my 
King  should  possess  the  Kingdom  of  France.” 

“  Were  there  stones  in  it  ?  ” 

“  I  have  told  you  v/hat  I  know  about  it.” 

“  Did  you  touch  or  kiss  it  ?  ” 

“No.” 

“  Did  the  Angel  who  brought  this  crown  come  from 
Heaven  or  earth  ?  ” 

“  He  came  from  above,  and  I  presume  that  he  came 
by  Our  Lord’s  command  ;  he  came  in  by  the  door  of  the 
room.  When  he  came  before  my  King,  he  did  him 
reverence  by  bowing  before  him,  and  pronouncing  the 
words  I  have  already  said  ;  and  at  the  same  time  the 
Angel  put  him  in  mind  of  the  great  patience  he  had  had 
in  presence  of  so  many  tribulations.  From  the  door, 
the  Angel  walked,  and  touched  the  earth,  in  coming 
to  the  King.” 

1  March  8th,  1428  ;  it  was  before  Easter,  which  in  that  year  fell  on  March 
7th. 


NINE  PRIVATE  EXAMINATIONS 


7i 


“What  space  was  there  between  the  door  and  the  King?” 

“  My  opinion  is  that  there  was  quite  the  space  of 
a  lance-length  [about  10  feet]  ;  and  he  returned  the 
way  he  came.  When  the  Angel  came,  I  accompanied 
him  and  went  with  him  by  the  staircase  to  the  King’s 
Chamber.  The  Angel  went  in  first,  then  myself,  and  I 
said  to  the  King  :  ‘  Sire,  there  is  your  sign  ;  take  it.’  ” 

“  Where  did  the  Angel  appear  to  you  ?  ” 

“  I  was  nearly  always  at  prayer  that  God  might  send 
the  sign  to  the  King  ;  and  I  was  at  my  lodging,  at  the 
house  of  a  worthy  woman,1  near  the  Castle  of  Chinon, 
when  he  came  ;  afterwards,  we  went  together  to  the 
King.  He  was  accompanied  by  other  Angels  whom  no 
one  saw.  Had  it  not  been  for  love  of  me,  and  to 
free  me  of  trouble  from  those  that  accused  me,  I  think 
that  many  who  saw  the  Angel  would  not  have  seen  him.” 

“Did  all  those  who  were  with  the  King  see  the  Angel?” 

“  I  believe  that  the  Archbishop  of  Rheims  saw  him, 
and  so  did  the  Lords  d’Alençon,  la  Trémouille,  and 
Charles  de  Bourbon.  As  to  the  crown,  many  Clergy 
and  others  saw  it  who  did  not  see  the  Angel.” 

“  Of  what  appearance,  what  height,  was  this  Angel  ?” 

“  I  have  not  permission  to  say  ;  to-morrow  I  will 
answer  about  it.” 

“  All  the  Angels  who  accompanied  him,  had  they  the 
same  appearance  ?  ” 

“  Some  resembled  him  well  enough,  others  not  :  at 
least,  so  far  as  I  saw.  Some  had  wings,  others  were 
crowned.  In  company  with  them  were  Saint  Catherine 
and  Saint  Margaret,  who  were  with  the  Angel  aforesaid, 

1  The  house  in  which  Jeanne  lodged  at  Chinon  is  said  to  have  belonged 
to  a  certain  Regnier  de  la  Barrier,  whose  widow  or  daughter  is  the  “  worthy- 
woman”  referred  to.  Jeanne  was  afterwards  lodged  in  the  Tower  of  Coudray, 
where  her  room  may  still  be  seen.  It  is  approached  by  a  staircase  outside 
the  tower.  The 'vaulted  roof  has  fallen  in,  and  the  fireplace  is  damaged, 
but  the  walls  are  intact,  and  the  room  could  easily  be  restored.  Jeanne 
stayed  in  this  tower  from  March  8th  to  April  20th,  1429. 


72  JEANNE  D’ARC 

and  the  other  Angels  also,  right  up  to  the  King’s 
Chamber.” 

“  How  did  the  Angel  leave  you  ?  ” 

“  He  left  me  in  that  little  Chapel.  I  was  much  vexed 
at  his  going  ;  I  wept  ;  willingly  would  I  have  gone  with 
him — that  is  to  say,  my  soul.” 

“  After  the  departure  of  the  Angel,  did  you  remain 
happy  [or  1  were  you  in  great  fear  ?  ”] 

“  He  did  not  leave  me  in  either  fear  or  terror  ;  but  I 
was  grieved  at  his  going.” 

“  Is  it  for  any  merit  of  yours  that  God  sent  you  this 
Angel  ?  ” 

“He  came  for  a  great  purpose  :  I  was  in  hopes  that 
the  King  would  believe  the  sign,  and  that  they  would 
cease  to  argue  with  me,  and  would  aid  the  good  people 
of  Orleans.  The  Angel  came  for  the  merits  of  the  King 
and  of  the  good  Duke  d’Orléans.”  2 

“  Why  to  you  rather  than  to  another  ?  ” 

“It  has  pleased  God  so  to  do  by  a  simple  maiden,  in 
order  to  drive  back  the  enemies  of  the  King.” 

“Was  it  told  you  whence  the  Angel  had  taken  this 
crown  ?  ” 

“It  was  brought  from  God  ;  no  goldsmith  in  the 
world  would  know  how  to  fashion  it  so  rich  and  fair.” 

“  Whence  did  he  take  it  ?  ” 

“  I  refer  me  to  God  ;  and  know  nothing  more  of 
whence  it  was  taken.” 

“  This  crown,  did  it  smell  well  and  had  it  a  good 
odour  ?  did  it  glitter  ?  ” 

“  I  do  not  remember  about  it  ;  I  will  think  it  over.” 
[Remembering  :]  “  Yes,  it  smelt  good,  and  will  smell 

good  always,  if  it  be  well  guarded,  as  it  should  be.  It 
was  in  the  form  of  a  crown.” 

1  In  the  Minute  only. 

2  Charles,  Duke  d’Orléans,  then  a  prisoner  in  England  :  one  of  the  five 
princes  of  the  blood  taken  at  Agincourt. 


NINE  PRIVATE  EXAMINATIONS 


73 


“  Did  the  Angel  write  you  a  letter  ?  ” 

“No.” 

“  What  sign  had  your  King  and  the  people  who  were 
with  him  and  yourself,  to  believe  that  it  was  an  Angel  ?  ” 

“  The  King  believed  it  by  the  teaching  of  the  Clergy 
who  were  there,  and  by  the  sign  of  the  crown.” 

“  But  how  did  the  Clergy  know  it  was  an  Angel  ?  ” 

“  By  their  knowledge  and  because  they  were  clerks.” 

“  What  have  you  to  say  about  a  married  priest  and  a 
lost  cup  that  you  were  to  have  pointed  out  ?  ”  1 

“Of  all  this  I  know  nothing,  nor  have  I  ever  heard  of  it.” 

“  When  you  came  before  Paris,  had  you  revelations 
from  your  Voices  to  go  there  ?” 

“No,  I  went  at  the  request  of  the  gentlemen  who 
wished  to  make  an  attack  or  assault-at-arms  ;  I  intended 
to  go  there  and  break  through  the  trenches.” 

“  Had  you  any  revelation  to  attack  La  Charité  ?  ” 

“No,  I  went  there  at  the  request  of  the  men-at-arms, 
as  I  said  elsewhere.” 

“  Did  you  have  any  revelation  to  go  to  Pont 
l’Evêque  ?” 2 

“  After  I  had  had,  in  the  trenches  of  Melun,3  reve¬ 
lation  that  I  should  be  taken,  I  consulted  more  often 
with  the  Captains  of  the  army  ;  but  I  did  not  tell  them 
I  had  had  any  revelation  that  I  should  be  taken.” 

“  Was  it  well  to  attack  the  town  of  Paris  on  the  day 
of  the  Festival  of  the  Nativity  of  Our  Lady  ?” 

“  It  is  well  done  to  observe  the  Festival  of  the  Blessed 
Mary,  and  on  my  conscience  it  seems  to  me  that  it  was, 
and  ever  will  be,  well  to  observe  these  festivals,  from 
one  end  to  the  other.” 

“  Did  you  not  say  before  Paris,  ‘  Surrender  this  town 
by  order  of  Jesus  ’  ?  ” 

“  No,  but  I  said,  *  Surrender  it  to  the  King  of  France.’  ” 


1  There  is  no  allusion  to  either  of  these  in  any  evidence  of  the  time. 

2  May,  1430.  3  Easter  week,  April  i6th-23rd,  1430. 


74 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


Wednesday ,  March  14 th. — -Jean  Delafontaine,  Com¬ 
missary ,  assisted  by  Nicolas  Midi  and  Gerard  Feuillet. 
Witnesses  :  Nicolas  de  Houbent  and  Ysambard  de  la 
Pierre. 

J  eanne  was  interrogated  as  follows  : 

“  Why  did  you  throw  yourself  from  the  top  of  the 
Tower  at  Beaurevoir  ?  ” 

“  I  had  heard  that  the  people  of  Compiègne,  all, 
to  the  age  of  seven  years,  were  to  be  put  to  fire  and 
sword  ;  and  I  would  rather  have  died  than  live  after 
such  a  destruction  of  good  people.  That  was  one  of  the 
reasons.  The  other  was  that  I  knew  I  was  sold  to  the 
English  ;  and  I  had  rather  die  than  be  in  the  hands  of 
my  enemies,  the  English.” 

“  Did  your  Saints  counsel  you  about  it  ?  ” 

“  Saint  Catherine  told  me  almost  every  day  not  to 
leap,  that  God  would  help  me,  and  also  those  at  Com¬ 
piègne.  I  said  to  Saint  Catherine  :  ‘  Since  God  will 
help  those  at  Compiègne,  I  wish  to  be  there.’  Saint 
Catherine  said  to  me,  ‘  Be  resigned,  and  do  not  falter  : 
you  will  not  be  delivered  before  seeing  the  King  of 
England.’  I  answered  her:  ‘Truly  I  do  not  wish  to 
see  him  ;  I  would  rather  die  than  fall  into  the  hands  of 
the  English.’  ” 

“  Is  it  true  that  you  said  to  Saint  Catherine  and  Saint 
Margaret  :  ‘  Will  God  leave  these  good  people  of  Com¬ 
piègne  to  die  so  horribly  ’  ?  ” 

“  I  did  not  say  ‘so  horribly,’  but,  ‘  How  can  God  leave 
these  good  people  of  Compiègne,  who  have  been,  and 
are,  so  loyal  to  their  lord,  to  die  ?  ’  After  having  fallen, 
I  was  two  or  three  days  without  eating.1  By  the  leap  I 

1  Jeanne  says  that  her  leap  from  the  tower  was  “  towards  the  end,”  and  as 
the  town  of  Compiègne  was  in  great  straits  in  October,  she  probably  made 
her  attempt  at  escape  towards  the  end  of  that  month.  The  army  of  relief 
under  the  Count  de  Vendôme  started  on  October  25th,  and  the  siege  was 
raised  early  in  November. 


NINE  PRIVATE  EXAMINATIONS 


75 


was  so  injured  that  I  could  neither  eat  nor  drink  ;  and 
all  the  time  I  was  consoled  by  Saint  Catherine,  who 
told  me  to  confess,  and  to  beg  pardon  of  God  ;  and 
without  fail,  those  at  Compïègne  would  have  help  before 
Saint  Martin’s  Day  in  the  winter.  Then  I  began  to 
recover  and  to  eat,  and  was  soon  cured.” 

“When  you  made  this  leap,  did  you  think  you  would 
kill  yourself  ?  ” 

“No;  but,  in  leaping,  I  commended  myself  to  God. 
I  hoped  by  means  of  this  leap  to  escape,  and  to  avoid 
being  delivered  up  to  the  English.” 

“  When  speech  returned  to  you,  did  you  not  blaspheme 
and  curse  God  and  His  Saints  ?  This  is  proved  by 
allegation.” 

“  I  have  no  memory  of  having  ever  blasphemed  and 
cursed  God  and  His  Saints,  in  that  place  or  elsewhere.” 

“Will  you  refer  this  to  the  enquiry  made  or  to  be 
made  ?  ” 

“  I  refer  me  to  God  and  not  to  any  other,  and  to  a 
good  confession.” 

“  Do  your  Voices  ask  delay  to  answer  you  ?  ” 

“  Sometimes  Saint  Catherine  answers  me,  but  I  fail  to 
understand  because  of  the  great  disturbance  in  the  prison 
and  the  noise  made  by  my  guards.  When  I  make  a 
request  to  Saint  Catherine,  both  my  Saints  make 
request  to  Our  Lord  ;  then,  by  order  of  Our  Lord,  they 
give  answer  to  me.” 

“  When  your  Saints  come  to  you,  have  they  a  light 
with  them  ?  Did  you  not  see  the  light  on  a  certain 
occasion  when  you  heard  the  Voices  in  the  Castle, 
without  knowing  if  the  Voice  were  in  your  room  ?  ” 

“  There  is  never  a  day  that  my  Saints  do  not  come  to 
the  Castle  ;  and  they  never  come  without  light.  And 
as  to  this  Voice  of  which  you  speak,  I  do  not  remember 
if  on  that  occasion  I  saw  the  light  or  even  Saint 
Catherine.  I  asked  three  things  of  my  Voices  : — i.  My 


76 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


deliverance  ;  2.  That  God  would  come  to  the  help  of 
the  French,  and  protect  the  towns  under  their  control  ; 
3.  The  salvation  of  my  soul.  [Addressing  herself  to 
the  Judges  :]  If  it  should  be  that  I  am  taken  to  Paris, 
grant,  I  pray  you,  that  I  may  have  a  copy  of  my  ques¬ 
tions  and  answers,  so  that  I  may  lend  them  to  those  at 
Paris,  and  that  I  may  be  able  to  say  to  them  :  ‘  Thus  was 
I  questioned  at  Rouen  ;  and  here  are  my  answers  ’  : 
in  this  way,  I  shall  not  have  to  trouble  again  over  so 
many  questions.” 

“You  said  that  my  Lord  of  Beauvais  puts  himself  in 
great  danger  by  bringing  you  to  trial  ;  of  what  danger 
were  you  speaking  ?  In  what  peril  or  danger  do  we 
place  ourselves,  your  Judges  and  the  others  ?” 

“  I  said  to  my  Lord  of  Beauvais,  ‘You  say  that  you 
are  my  Judge  ;  I  do  not  know  if  you  are,  but  take  heed 
not  to  judge  wrongly,  because  you  would  put  yourself 
in  great  danger  ;  and  I  warn  you  of  it,  so  that,  if  Our 
Lord  should  punish  you  for  it,  I  shall  have  done  my 
duty  in  telling  you.’  ” 

“  But  what  is  this  peril  or  danger  ?  ” 

“  Saint  Catherine  has  told  me  that  I  shall  have  help  ; 
I  do  not  know  if  this  will  be  to  be  delivered  from  prison, 
or  if,  whilst  I  am  being  tried,  some  disturbance  may 
happen,  by  which  I  shall  be  delivered.  The  help 
will  come  to  me,  I  think,  in  one  way  or  the  other. 
Besides  this,  my  Voices  have  told  me  that  I  shall  be 
delivered  by  a  great  victory  ;  and  they  add  :  ‘  Be  re¬ 
signed  ;  have  no  care  for  thy  martyrdom  ;  thou  wilt 
come  in  the  end  to  the  Kingdom  of  Paradise.’  They 
have  told  me  this  simply,  absolutely,  and  without  fail. 
What  is  meant  by  my  martyrdom  is  the  pain  and  adver¬ 
sity  that  I  suffer  in  prison  ;  I  do  not  know  if  I  shall 
have  still  greater  suffering  to  bear  ;  for  that  I  refer  me 
to  God.” 

“  Since  your  Voices  told  you  that  you  would  come  in 


°ATh  ro  HIE  PALACE  OF  CAUCHON,  BISHOP  OF  BEAUVAIS. 


NINE  PRIVATE  EXAMINATIONS 


77 


the  end  to  the  Kingdom  of  Paradise,  have  you  felt 
assured  of  being  saved  and  of  not  being  damned  in 
Hell?” 

“  I  believe  firmly  what  my  Voices  have  told  me,  that 
I  shall  be  saved  ;  I  believe  it  as  firmly  as  if  I  were 
already  there.” 

“  After  this  revelation,  do  you  believe  that  you  cannot 
commit  mortal  sin  ?  ”  1 

“  I  do  not  know,  and  in  all  things  I  wait  on  Our 
Lord.” 

“  That  is  an  answer  of  great  weight  !  ” 

“  Yes,  and  one  which  I  hold  for  a  great  treasure.” 


The  same  day ,  Wednesday ,  March  14 th,  in  the  after¬ 
noon.  Present  :  Jean  Delafontaine ,  Commissary ,  assisted 
by  Nicolas  Midi  and  Gerard  Feuillet.  Witnesses  : 
Brotker  Ysambard  de  la  Pierre  and  Jean  Manchon. 

And  in  the  first  place,  Jeanne  expressed  herself  thus  : 

“  On  the  subject  of  the  answer  that  I  made  to  you 
this  morning  on  the  certainty  of  my  salvation,  I  mean 
the  answer  thus  :  provided  that  I  keep  the  promise 
made  to  Our  Lord,  to  keep  safe  the  virginity  of  my 
body  and  soul.” 

“  Have  you  any  need  to  confess,  as  you  believe  by 
the  revelations  of  your  Voices  that  you  will  be  saved  ?  ” 

“  I  do  not  know  of  having  committed  mortal  sin  ;  but, 
if  I  were  in  mortal  sin,  I  think  that  Saint  Catherine  and 
Saint  Margaret  would  abandon  me  at  once.  I  do  not 
think  one  can  cleanse  one’s  conscience  too  much.” 

“  Since  you  have  been  in  the  prison,  have  you  never 
blasphemed  or  cursed  God  ?  ” 

“  No  ;  sometimes  I  said  :  ‘  bon  gré  Dieu,’  or  ‘  Saint 
Jean,’  or  ‘  Notre  Dame  ’  :  those  who  have  reported 
otherwise  may  have  misunderstood.” 

1  The  Minute  inverts  the  order  of  this  and  the  following  question  and 
answer. 


78 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


“  To  take  a  man  at  ransom,  and  to  put  him  to  death, 
while  a  prisoner,  is  not  that  mortal  sin  ?  ” 

“  I  never  did  it.” 

“What  did  you  do  to  Franquet  d’ Arras,  who  was  put 
to  death,  at  Lagny  ?  ” 

“  I  consented  that  he  should  die  if  he  had  merited  it, 
because  he  had  confessed  to  being  a  murderer,  thief,  and 
traitor;  his  trial  lasted  fifteen  days;  he  had  for  Judge 
the  Bailly  of  Senlis  and  the  people  of  the  Court  at 
Lagny.  I  had  given  orders  to  exchange  this  Franquet 
against  a  man  of  Paris,  landlord  of  the  Hôtel  de  l’Ours. 
When  I  learnt  the  death  of  the  latter,  and  the  Bailly  told 
me  that  I  should  do  great  wrong  to  justice  by  giving  up 
Franquet,  I  said  to  the  Bailly,  ‘  As  my  man  is  dead,  do 
with  the  other  what  you  should  do,  for  justice.’” 

“  Did  you  give,  or  cause  to  be  given,  money  to  him 
who  took  Franquet  ?  ” 

“  I  am  not  Master  of  the  Mint  or  Treasurer  of  France 
to  pay  out  money  so.” 

“We  recall  to  you  : — i.  That  you  attacked  Paris  on 
a  Feast  Day  ;  2.  That  you  had  the  horse  of  my  Lord 
the  Bishop  of  Senlis  ;  3.  That  you  threw  yourself  down 
from  the  Tower  of  Beaurevoir  ;  4.  That  you  wear  a 
man’s  dress  ;  5.  That  you  consented  to  the  death  of 
Franquet  d’ Arras  :  do  you  not  think  you  have  committed 
mortal  sin  in  these  ?  ” 

“  For  what  concerns  the  attack  on  Paris,  I  do  not 
think  myself  to  be  in  mortal  sin  ;  if  I  have  so  done,  it  is 
for  God  to  know  it,  and  the  Priest  in  confession.  As  to 
the  horse  of  my  Lord  the  Bishop  of  Senlis,  I  firmly 
believe  I  have  not  sinned  against  Our  Lord  :  the  horse 
was  valued  at  200  gold  crowns,  of  which  he  received 
assignment  ;  nevertheless,  this  horse  was  sent  back  to 
the  Sire  de  la  Trémouille,  to  restore  it  to  my  Lord  of 
Senlis  ;  it  was  no  good  for  me  to  ride  ;  besides,  it  was 
not  I  who  took  it  ;  and,  moreover,  I  did  not  wish  to 


NINE  PRIVATE  EXAMINATIONS 


79 


keep  it,  having  heard  that  the  Bishop  was  displeased 
that  it  had  been  taken  from  him,  and,  beyond  all  this, 
the  horse  was  of  no  use  for  warfare.  I  do  not  know  if 
the  Bishop  was  paid,  nor  if  his  horse  was  restored  to 
him  ;  I  think  not.  As  to  my  fall  from  the  Tower  at 
Beaurevoir,  I  did  not  do  it  in  despair,  but  thinking  to 
save  myself  and  to  go  to  the  help  of  all  those  brave  folk 
who  were  in  danger.  After  my  fall,  I  confessed  myself 
and  asked  pardon.  God  has  forgiven  me,  not  for  any 
good  in  me  :  I  did  wrong,  but  I  know  by  revelation 
from  Saint  Catherine  that,  after  the  confession  I  made, 
I  was  forgiven.  It  was  by  the  counsel  of  Saint  Catherine 
that  I  confessed  myself.” 

“  Did  you  do  penance  for  it  ?  ” 

“Yes,  and  my  penance  came  to  me  in  great  part 
from  the  harm  I  did  myself  in  falling.  You  ask  me 
if  I  believe  this  wrong  which  I  did  in  leaping  to  be 
mortal  sin  ?  I  know  nothing  about  it,  but  refer  me  to 
God.  As  to  my  dress,  since  I  bear  it  by  command  of 
God  and  for  His  service,  I  do  not  think  I  have  done 
wrong  at  all  ;  so  soon  as  it  shall  please  God  to  prescribe 
it,  I  will  take  it  off.” 


The  following  Thursday ,  March  i$tk,  in  the  morning. 
Present:  Jean  Delafontaine ,  Commissary ,  assisted  by 
N icolas  Midi  and  Gerard  Feuillet.  Witnesses  :  Nicolas 
de  Houbent  and  Brother  Ysambard  de  la  Pierre. 

First  of  all,  Jeanne  was  charitably  exhorted,  warned, 
and  required,  if  she  had  done  anything  which  might  be 
against  our  Faith,  that  she  should  refer  it  to  the  decision 
of  Holy  Mother  Church. 

“  Let  my  answers,”  she  said,  “be  seen  and  examined 
by  the  Clergy  :  then  let  them  tell  me  if  there  be  anything 
against  the  Christian  Faith.  I  shall  know  surely  by  my 
counsel  what  it  is,  and  will  say  afterwards  what  shall  be 


8o 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


judged  and  decided.  And,  moreover,  if  there  be  any¬ 
thing  wrong  against  the  Christian  Faith  which  Our  Lord 
commanded,  I  should  not  wish  to  maintain  it,  and  should 
be  very  sorry  to  be  in  opposition.” 

Then  we  explained  to  her  about  the  Church  Trium¬ 
phant  and  the  Church  Militant,  and  the  difference 
between  them.  Required  to  submit  to  the  decision  of 
the  Church  Militant  what  she  had  said  or  done,  whether 
of  good  or  ill  : 

“  I  will  not  answer  you  anything  more  about  it  now,” 
she  said. 

“  Upon  the  oath  that  you  have  taken,  tell  us,  how  did 
you  think  to  escape  from  the  Castle  of  Beaulieu  between 
two  planks  of  wood  ?  ”  1 

“  Never  was  I  prisoner  in  such  a  place  that  I  would 
not  willingly  have  escaped.  Being  in  that  Castle,  I 
should  have  shut  my  keepers  in  the  tower,  if  it  had  not 
been  that  the  porter  espied  me  and  encountered  me.  It 
did  not  please  God  that  I  should  escape  this  time  :  it 
was  necessary  for  me  to  see  the  English  King,2  as  my 
Voices  had  told  me,  as  has  been  already  said.” 

“  Have  you  had  permission  from  God  or  your  Voices 
to  leave  prison  when  it  shall  please  you  ?  ” 

“  I  have  asked  it  many  times,  but  I  have  not  yet 
had  it.” 

“  Would  you  go  now,  if  you  saw  your  starting-point  ?  ” 

“  If  I  saw  the  door  open,  I  should  go  :  that  would  be 
leave  from  Our  Lord.  If  I  saw  the  door  open,  and  my 

1  There  is  no  fuller  account  of  this  attempt.  It  probably  took  place 
during  the  month  of  July,  and  may  have  been  the  reason  for  her  removal 
to  the  stronger  prison  of  Beaurevoir,  early  in  August. 

2  Henry  VI.  arrived  in  Rouen  first  on  July  29th,  1430,  when  Jeanne  was 
at  Beaulieu  ;  he  was  crowned  at  Paris  in  the  following  November,  and 
returned  to  Rouen  for  Christmas,  remaining  there  about  six  weeks,  for 
the  date  of  his  landing  at  Dover  is  given  as  February  nth.  It  is  not 
improbable  that  the  prisoner  may  have  seen  the  King,  as  they  were  both 
residing  in  the  same  Castle,  and  her  windows  looked  on  the  fields,  where  he 
would  probably  Cake  exercise. 


NINE  PRIVATE  EXAMINATIONS 


8 1 


keepers  and  the  other  English  beyond  power  of  resist¬ 
ance,  truly  I  should  see  in  it  my  leave  and  help  sent 
me  by  Our  Lord.  But  without  this  leave,  I  shall 
not  go,  unless  I  make  a  forcible  attempt  to  go,1  and  so 
learn  if  Our  Lord  would  be  pleased  :  this  on  the  strength 
of  the  proverb,  ‘  Help  thyself,  and  God  will  help  thee’  : 
I  say  this  in  order  that,  if  I  do  escape,  no  one  may  say 
I  did  so  without  God’s  leave.” 

“  When  you  asked  to  hear  Mass,  did  it  not  seem  to 
you  that  it  would  be  more  proper  to  be  in  female  dress  ? 
Which  would  you  like  best,  to  have  a  woman’s  dress  to 
hear  Mass,  or  to  remain  in  a  man’s  dress  and  not 
hear  it  ?  ” 

“  Give  me  assurance  beforehand  that  I  shall  hear 
Massif  I  am  in  female  attire,  and  I  will  answer  you  this.” 

“  Very  well,  I  give  you  assurance  of  it  :  you  shall  hear 
Mass  if  you  put  on  female  attire.” 

“  And  what  say  you,  if  I  have  sworn  and  promised  to 
our  King  my  Master,  not  to  put  off  this  dress  ?  Well, 
I  will  answer  you  this  :  Have  made  for  me  a  long  dress 
down  to  the  ground,  without  a  train  ;  give  it  to  me  to  go 
to  Mass,  and  then  on  my  return  I  will  put  on  again  the 
dress  I  have.” 

“  I  say  it  to  you  once  again,  do  you  consent  to  wear 
female  attire  to  go  and  hear  Mass  ?  ” 

“  I  will  take  counsel  on  this,  and  then  I  will  answer 
you  :  but  I  beseech  you,  for  the  honour  of  God  and 
Our  Lady  permit  me  to  hear  Mass  in  this  good 
town.” 

“You  consent  simply  and  absolutely  to  take  female 
attire  ?  ” 

“  Send  me  a  dress  like  a  daughter  of  your  citizens — 
that  is  to  say,  a  long  ‘  houppeland.’ 2  I  will  wear  it 
to  go  and  hear  Mass.  I  beseech  you  as  earnestly  as  I 

1  “  Faceret  unam  aggressionem ;  ”  Gallici ,  “  une  entreprise 

In  the  Minute  :  “  mesme  le  chapc7-on  dc  femme  P 

G 


82 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


can,  permit  me  to  hear  it  in  the  dress  I  wear  at  this 
moment  and  without  changing  anything  !  ” 

“  Will  you  submit  your  actions  and  words  to  the 
decision  of  the  Church  ?  ” 

“  My  words  and  deeds  are  all  in  God’s  Hands  :  in  all, 
I  wait  upon  Him.  I  assure  you,  I  would  say  or  do 
nothing  against  the  Christian  Faith  :  in  case  I  have 
done  or  said  anything  which  might  be  on  my  soul  and 
which  the  clergy  could  say  was  contrary  to  the  Christian 
Faith  established  by  Our  Lord,  I  would  not  maintain  it, 
and  would  put  it  away.” 

“Are  you  not  willing  to  submit  yourself  in  this  to  the 
order  of  the  Church  ?  ” 

“  I  will  not  answer  you  anything  more  about  it  now. 
Send  me  a  cleric  on  Saturday  ;  and,  if  you  do  not  wish 
to  come  yourself,  I  will  answer  him  on  this,  with  God’s 
help  ;  and  it  shall  be  put  in  writing.” 

“When  your  Voices  come,  do  you  make  obeisance  to 
them  as  to  a  Saint  ?  ” 

“  Yes  ;  and  if  perchance  I  have  not  done  so,  I  have 
afterwards  asked  of  them  grace  and  pardon.  I  should 
not  know  how  to  do  them  such  great  reverence  as 
belongs  to  them,  for  I  believe  firmly  they  are  Saint 
Catherine  and  Saint  Margaret.  I  believe  the  same  of 
Saint  Michael.” 

“For  those  who  are  Saints  of  Paradise,  offerings  are 
voluntarily  made  of  candles,  etc.  :  have  you  never  made 
an  offering  of  lighted  candles,  or  other  things,  to  the 
Saints  who  come  to  you,  in  the  Church  or  elsewhere,  or 
had  Masses  said  ?  ” 

“  No,  unless  it  be  in  the  offering  of  the  Mass,  in  the 
hands  of  the  Priest,  in  honour  of  Saint  Catherine,  one 
of  the  Saints  who  appeared  to  me.  I  have  never  lighted 
as  many  candles  as  I  wish  to  Saint  Catherine  and  Saint 
Margaret,  who  are  in  Paradise  ;  and  I  firmly  believe  it 
is  they  who  come  to  me.” 


NINE  PRIVATE  EXAMINATIONS 


83 


“  When  you  place  lights  before  the  image  of  Saint 
Catherine,  do  you  place  them  in  honour  of  the  one  who 
appears  to  you  ?  ” 

“  I  do  it  in  honour  of  God,  of  Our  Lady,  and  of 
Saint  Catherine  who  is  in  Heaven,  and  of  her  who 
appears  to  me.” 

“  Do  you  place  these  lights  in  honour  of  Saint 
Catherine,  who  has  shewn  herself  to  you,  who  has 
appeared  to  you  ?  ” 

“Yes,  I  make  no  difference  between  the  one  who  has 
appeared  to  me,  and  the  one  who  is  in  heaven.”  1 

“  Do  you  always  do,  always  accomplish,  what  your 
Voices  command  you  ?  ” 

“  With  all  my  power  I  accomplish  the  command  that 
Our  Lord  sends  me  through  my  Voices,  in  so  far  as 
I  understand  them.  My  Voices  command  nothing  but 
by  the  good  pleasure  of  Our  Lord.” 

“In  warfare,  have  you  done  nothing  without  counsel 
of  your  Voices  ?  ” 

“  I  have  already  answered  you  thereon  :  read  your 
book  again  well,  and  you  will  find  it.  At  the  request 
of  the  men-at-arms,  there  was  an  assault  made  before 
Paris,  and,  at  the  request  of  the  King  himself,  one  also 
before  La  Charité.  These  were  neither  against  nor  by 
the  order  of  my  Voices.” 

“  Have  you  never  done  anything  against  their  com¬ 
mand  and  will  ?  ” 

“All  that  I  could  and  knew  how  to  do,  I  have  done 
and  accomplished  to  the  best  of  my  power.  As  to  the 
matter  of  the  fall  from  the  keep  of  Beaurevoir,  I  did  it 
against  their  command  ;  but  I  could  not  control  myself. 
When  my  Voices  saw  my  need,  and  that  I  neither  knew 
how,  nor  was  able,  to  control  myself,  they  saved  my  life 
and  kept  me  from  killing  myself.  Whatever  things  I 

1  In  the  Minute  :  “  et  ne  fait  point  de  différence  de  celle  qui  est  au  ciel  et 
celle  qui  se  appert  à  moi.” 


G  2 


84 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


did  in  my  greatest  undertakings,  they  always  helped  me  ; 
and  that  is  a  sign  they  are  good  spirits.” 

“  Have  you  no  other  sign  that  they  are  good  spirits  ?  ” 

“  Saint  Michael  assured  me  of  it  before  the  Voices 
came  to  me.” 

“  How  did  you  know  it  was  Saint  Michael  ?” 

“  By  the  speech  and  language  of  the  Angels.  I 
believe  firmly  that  they  were  Angels.” 

“  But  how  did  you  know  it  was  the  language  of 
Angels?” 

“  I  believed  it  at  once,  and  I  had  the  will  to  believe 
it.  When  Saint  Michael  came  to  me,  he  said  to  me: 

‘  Saint  Catherine  and  Saint  Margaret  will  come  to  thee  ; 
follow  their  counsel  ;  they  have  been  chosen  to  guide 
thee  and  counsel  thee  in  all  that  thou  hast  to  do  :  believe 
what  they  shall  tell  thee,  it  is  the  order  of  Our  Lord.’  ” 

“If  the  devil  were  to  put  himself  in  the  form  or 
likeness  of  an  angel,  how  would  you  know  if  it  were  a 
good  or  an  evil  angel  ?  ” 

“  I  should  know  quite  well  if  it  were  Saint  Michael  or 
a  counterfeit.  The  first  time  I  was  in  great  doubt  if  it 
were  Saint  Michael  ;  and  I  was  much  afraid.  I  had 
seen  him  many  times  before  I  knew  it  was  Saint 
Michael.” 

“  Why  did  you  recognize  him  sooner  that  time,  when 
you  say  you  believed  it  was  he,  than  the  first  time  he 
appeared  to  you  ?  ” 

“The  first  time  I  was  a  young  child,  and  I  was  much 
afraid  ;  afterwards,  he  had  taught  me  so  well,  and  it  was 
so  clear  to  me,  that  I  believed  firmly  it  was  he.”1 

“  What  doctrine  did  he  teach  you  ?  ” 

“  Above  all  things  he  told  me  to  be  a  good  child,  and 
that  God  would  help  me, — to  come  to  the  help  of  the 

1  “Le  vrai  office  de  Monseigneur  Saint-Michel  est  de  faire  grandes 
révélations  aux  hommes  en  bas,  en  leur  donnant  moult  sainct  conseils. 
(“Le  Livre  des  Angeles  de  Dieu?— MS.  in  the  Bibliothèque  Nationale, 
Paris.) 


NINE  PRIVATE  EXAMINATIONS 


«5 


King  of  France,  among  other  things.  The  greater  part 
of  what  he  taught  me  is  already  in  the  book  in  which 
you  are  writing  :  he  told  me  of  the  great  misery  there 
was  in  the  Kingdom  of  France.” 

“  What  was  the  height  and  stature  of  this  Angel  ?  ” 

“  On  Saturday  I  will  reply,  with  other  things  which  I 
should  answer,  as  it  shall  please  God.” 

“  Do  you  not  think  it  a  great  sin,  and  one  which 
offends  Saint  Catherine  and  Saint  Margaret  who 
appeared  to  you,  to  act  against  their  commands  ?  ” 

“Yes,  certainly;  and  the  greatest  I  have  ever  com¬ 
mitted,  in  my  opinion,  has  been  the  leap  from  the  Tower 
of  Beaurevoir  ;  for  the  which  I  have  besought  their 
mercy,  and  for  all  other  offences  I  may  have  done 
against  them.” 

“  Will  Saint  Catherine  and  Saint  Margaret  take  bodily 
vengeance  for  this  offence  ?  ” 

“  I  do  not  know,  and  did  not  ask  them.” 

“  You  have  asserted  that,  for  speaking  the  truth,  men 
were  sometimes  hanged  :  do  you,  then,  know  any  crime 
or  fault  in  yourself  for  which  you  should  die,  if  you 
confessed  it  ?  ” 

“  I  know  of  none.” 

The  following  Saturday ,  March  ijth  : — Present  :  Jean 
Delafontaine,  Commissary ,  assisted  by  Nicolas  Midi , 
and  Gerard  Feuillet ,  in  the  presence  of  Ysambard  de  la 
Pierre  and  of  Jean  Massieu. 

The  said  Jeanne  was  required  to  take  the  oath  already 
made  by  her.  Afterwards,  she  was  again  interrogated  : 

“  In  what  form,  kind,  size,  and  dress  did  Saint 
Michael  come  to  you  ?  ” 

“In  the  form  of  a  true  honest  man  [‘  prud  homme  ’]  ; 
of  his  dress  and  the  rest  I  will  say  nothing  more.  As  to 
the  Angels,  I  saw  them  with  my  eyes  ;  you  will  hear 
naught  else  about  it.  I  believe  the  deeds  and  words  of 


86 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


Saint  Michael,  who  appeared  to  me,  as  firmly  as  I 
believe  that  Our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ  suffered  Death 
and  Passion  for  us.  And  that  which  makes  me  believe 
it,  is  the  good  counsel,  comfort,  and  good  doctrine  which 
he  has  given  me.” 

“  Will  you,  in  respect  of  all  your  words  and  deeds, 
whether  good  or  bad,  submit  yourself  to  the  decision  of 
our  Holy  Mother  the  Church  ?  ” 

“  The  Church  !  I  love  it,  and  would  wish  to  maintain 
it  with  all  my  power,  for  our  Christian  Faith  ;  it  is  not  I 
who  should  be  prevented  from  going  to  Church  and 
hearing  Mass  !  As  to  the  good  deeds  I  have  done  and 
my  coming  to  the  King,  I  must  wait  on  the  King  of 
Heaven,  who  sent  me  to  Charles,  King  of  France,  son 
of  Charles,  who  was  King  of  France.  You  will  see 
that  the  French  will  soon  gain  a  great  victory,  that  God 
will  send  such  great  doings  that  nearly  all  the  Kingdom 
of  France  will  be  shaken  by  them.  I  say  it,  so  that, 
when  it  shall  come  to  pass,  it  may  be  remembered  that 
I  said  it.” 

“  When  will  this  happen  ?  ” 

“  I  wait  on  Our  Lord.” 

“  Will  you  refer  yourself  to  the  decision  of  the 
Church  ?  ” 

“  I  refer  myself  to  God  Who  sent  me,  to  Our  Lady, 
and  to  all  the  Saints  in  Paradise.  And  in  my  opinion 
it  is  all  one,  God  and  the  Church  ;  and  one  should 
make  no  difficulty  about  it.  Why  do  you  make  a 
difficulty  ?  ” 

“There  is  a  Church  Triumphant  in  which  are  God 
and  the  Saints,  the  Angels,  and  the  Souls  of  the  Saved. 
There  is  another  Church,  the  Church  Militant,  in  which 
are  the  Pope,  the  Vicar  of  God  on  earth,  the  Cardinals, 
Prelates  of  the  Church,  the  Clergy  and  all  good  Christians 
and  Catholics  :  this  Church,  regularly  assembled,  cannot 
err,  being  ruled  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  Will  you  refer 


NINE  PRIVATE  EXAMINATIONS  87 

yourself  to  this  Church  which  we  have  thus  just  defined 
to  you  ?  ” 

“  I  came  to  the  King  of  France  from  God,  from  the 
Blessed  Virgin  Mary,  from  all  the  Saints  of  Paradise, 
and  the  Church  Victorious  above,  and  by  their  command. 
To  this  Church  I  submit  all  my  good  deeds,  all  that  I 
have  done  or  will  do.  As  to  saying  whether  I  will 
submit  myself  to  the  Church  Militant,  I  will  not  now 
answer  anything  more.” 

“What  do  you  say  on  the  subject  of  the  female  attire 
which  is  offered  to  you,  to  go  and  hear  Mass  ?  ” 

“  I  will  not  take  it  yet,  until  it  shall  please  Our  Lord. 
And  if  it  should  happen  that  I  should  be  brought  to 
judgment,  [and  that  I  have  to  divest  myself  in  Court,]1  I 
beseech  the  lords  of  the  Church  to  do  me  the  grace  to 
allow  me  a  woman’s  smock  and  a  hood  for  my  head  ;  I 
would  rather  die  than  revoke  what  God  has  made  me 
do  ;  and  I  believe  firmly  that  God  will  not  allow  it  to 
come  to  pass  that  I  should  be  brought  so  low  that  I  may 
not  soon  have  succour  from  Him,  and  by  miracle.” 

“  As  you  say  that  you  bear  a  man’s  dress  by  the 
command  of  God,  why  do  you  ask  for  a  woman’s  smock 
at  the  point  of  death  ?  ” 

“  It  will  be  enough  for  me  if  it  be  long.” 

“  Did  your  Godmother  who  saw  the  fairies  pass  as  a 
wise  woman  ?  ” 

“  She  was  held  and  considered  a  good  and  honest 
woman,  neither  divineress  nor  sorceress.” 

“You  said  you  would  take  a  woman’s  dress,  that  you 
might  be  let  go  :  would  this  please  God  ?  ” 

“  If  I  had  leave  to  go  in  woman’s  dress,  I  should  soon 
put  myself  back  in  man’s  dress  and  do  what  God  has 
commanded  me  :  I  have  already  told  you  so.  For  nothing 
in  the  world  will  I  swear  not  to  arm  myself  and  put  on 
a  man’s  dress  ;  I  must  obey  the  orders  of  Our  Lord.” 

1  In  the  Minute. 


88  JEANNE  D’ARC 

“What  age  and  what  dress  had  Saint  Catherine  and 
Saint  Margaret  ?  ” 

“You  have  had  such  answers  as  you  will  have  from 
me,  and  none  others  shall  you  have  :  I  have  told  you 
what  I  know  of  it  for  certain.” 

“  Before  to-day,  did  you  believe  fairies  were  evil 
spirits  ?  ” 

“  I  know  nothing  about  it.” 

“  Do  you  know  if  Saint  Catherine  and  Saint  Margaret 
hate  the  English  ?  ” 

“  They  love  what  God  loves  :  they  hate  what  God 
hates.” 

“  Does  God  hate  the  English  ?  ” 

“  Of  the  love  or  hate  God  may  have  for  the  English, 
or  of  what  He  will  do  for  their  souls,  I  know  nothing  ; 
but  I  know  quite  well  that  they  will  be  put  out  of 
France,  except  those  who  shall  die  there,  and  that 
God  will  send  victory  to  the  French  against  the 
English.” 

“  Was  God  for  the  English  when  they  were  prospering 
in  France  ?  ” 

“  I  do  not  know  if  God  hated  the  French  ;  but  I 
believe  that  He  wished  them  to  be  defeated  for  their 
sins,  if  they  were  in  sin.” 

“  What  warrant  and  what  help  do  you  expect  to  have 
from  Our  Lord  for  wearing  this  man’s  dress  ?  ” 

“  For  this  dress  and  for  other  things  that  I  have  done, 
I  wish  to  have  no  other  recompense  than  the  salvation 
of  my  soul.” 

“  What  arms  did  you  offer  at  Saint  Denis  ?  ” 

“My  whole  suit  of  white  armour  [‘ album  harnesium 
suum  ;  '  Gallicè,  *  un  blanc  harnoysl ]  as  beseems  a  soldier, 
with  a  sword  I  had  won  before  Paris.” 

“  Why  did  you  make  this  offering  ?  ” 

“In  devotion,  and  as  is  the  custom  of  soldiers  when 
they  have  been  wounded.  Having  been  wounded  before 


NINE  PRIVATE  EXAMINATIONS  89 

Paris,  I  offered  them  at  Saint  Denis,  because  that  is 
the  war-cry  of  France.” 

“  Did  you  do  it  that  these  arms  might  be  wor¬ 
shipped  ?  ” 

“  No.” 

“  What  was  the  purpose  of  these  five  crosses  which 
were  on  the  sword  that  you  found  at  Saint  Catherine 
of  Fierbois?” 

“  I  know  nothing  about  it.” 

“  Who  prompted  you  to  have  painted  on  your 
standard  Angels  with  arms,  feet,  legs,  and  clothing  ?  ” 

“  I  have  already  answered  you.” 

“  Did  you  have  them  painted  as  they  came  to  see  you?” 

“No,  I  had  them  painted  in  the  way  they  are  painted 
in  the  Churches.” 

“  Did  you  ever  see  them  in  the  manner  they  are 
painted  ?  ” 

“  I  will  tell  you  nothing  more.” 

“  Why  did  you  not  have  painted  the  brightness  that 
comes  to  you  with  the  Angels  and  the  Voices  ?  ” 

“  It  was  not  commanded  me.” 


The  same  day ,  March  1  Jh,  afternoon.  Present  :  The 
Bishop  and  the  Deputy  Inquisitor ,  assisted  by  Jean 
Beaupère,  Jacques  de  Touraine ,  Nicolas  Midi ,  Pierre 
Maurice ,  Gerard  Feuillet ,  Thomas  de  Courcelles ,  Jean 
Delafontaine  ;  in  presence  of  Brother  Ysambard  de  la 
Pierre  and  John  Gris. 

We  interrogated  the  said  Jeanne,  as  follows  : 

“  Did  the  two  Angels  painted  on  your  standard  re¬ 
present  Saint  Michael  and  Saint  Gabriel  ?” 

“  They  were  there  only  for  the  honour  of  Our  Lord, 
Who  was  painted  on  the  standard.  I  only  had  these 
two  Angels  represented  to  honour  Our  Lord,  Who  was 
there  represented  holding  the  world.” 


90 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


“  Were  the  two  Angels  represented  on  your  standard 
those  who  guard  the  world  ?  Why  were  there  not 
more  of  them,  seeing  that  you  had  been  commanded  by 
God  to  take  this  standard  ?  ” 

“  The  standard  was  commanded  by  Our  Lord,  by  the 
Voices  of  Saint  Catherine  and  Saint  Margaret,  which 
said  to  me  :  ‘  Take  the  standard  in  the  nr  .me  of  the  King 
of  Heaven’;  and  because  they  had  said  to  me  ‘Take  the 
standard  in  the  name  of  the  King  of  Heaven,’  I  had  this 
figure  of  God  and  of  two  Angels  done  ;  I  did  all  by  their 
command.” 

“  Did  you  ask  them  if,  by  virtue  of  this  standard,  you 
would  gain  all  the  battles  wherever  you  might  find 
yourself,  and  if  you  would  be  victorious  ?  ” 

“  They  told  me  to  take  it  boldly,  and  that  God  would 
help  me.” 

“  Which  gave  most  help,  you  to  your  standard,  or  your 
standard  to  you  ?  ” 

“  The  victory  either  to  my  standard  or  myself,  it  was 
all  from  Our  Lord.” 

“  The  hope  of  being  victorious,  was  it  founded  on  your 
standard  or  on  yourself  ?  ” 

“  It  was  founded  on  Our  Lord  and  nought  else.” 

“If  any  one  but  you  had  borne  this  standard, 
would  he  have  been  as  fortunate  as  you  in  bearing 
it  ?  ” 

“  I  know  nothing  about  it  :  I  wait  on  Our  Lord.” 

“If  one  of  the  people  of  your  party  had  sent  you  his 
standard  to  carry,  would  you  have  had  as  much  con¬ 
fidence  in  it  as  in  that  which  had  been  sent  to  you  by 
God  ?  Even  the  standard  of  your  King,  if  it  had  been 
sent  to  you,  would  you  have  had  as  much  confidence  in 
it  as  in  your  own  ?  ” 

“  I  bore  most  willingly  that  which  had  been  ordained 
for  me  by  Our  Lord  ;  and,  meanwhile,  in  all  I  waited 
upon  Our  Lord.” 


NINE  PRIVATE  EXAMINATIONS 


91 

“  For  what  purpose  was  the  sign  you  put  on  your 
letters  and  these  words  :  ‘  J he  sus  Maria  ’  ?  ” 

“  The  clerks  who  wrote  my  letters  put  it  ;  some  told 
me  that  it  was  suitable  for  me  to  put  these  two  words  : 
‘  J he  sus  Mariai  ” 

“  Was  it  never  revealed  to  you  that  if  you  lost  your 
virginity,  you  would  lose  your  happiness,  and  that  your 
Voices  would  come  to  you  no  more  ?  ” 

“That  has  never  been  revealed  to  me.”1 
“If  you  were  married,  do  you  think  your  Voices  would 
come  ?  ” 

“  I  do  not  know  ;  I  wait  on  Our  Lord.” 

“  Do  you  think,  and  do  you  firmly  believe,  that  your 
King  did  right  in  killing,  or  causing  to  be  killed,  my 
Lord  the  Duke  of  Burgundy  ?  ” 

“  It  was  a  great  injury  to  the  Kingdom  of  France  ; 
and,  whatever  there  may  have  been  between  them,  God 
sent  me  to  the  help  of  the  King  of  France.” 

“  As  you  have  declared  to  my  lord  of  Beauvais  that 
you  will  reply  to  him  and  his  Commissioners  as  you 
would  before  our  most  holy  Lord  the  Pope,  and  as  there 
are  many  questions  which  you  will  not  answer,  would 
you  reply  before  the  Pope  more  fully  than  before  us  ?  ” 

“  I  have  answered  you  all  the  truth  that  I  know  ;  and 
if  I  know  anything  which  comes  to  my  memory  that  I 
have  left  unsaid,  I  will  tell  it  willingly.” 

“  Does  it  not  seem  to  you  that  you  are  bound  to  reply 
more  fully  to  our  Lord  the  Pope,  the  Vicar  of  God,  on  all 
that  might  be  asked  you  touching  the  Faith  and  the 
matter  of  your  conscience,  than  you  should  to  us  ?  ” 
“Very  well;  let  me  be  taken  before  him,  and  I  will 
answer  before  him  all  I  ought  to  answer.” 

“  Of  what  material  was  one  of  your  rings,  on  which 
was  written  ‘  Jhesus  Maria  ’  ?  ” 

1  In  the  Minute  :  “  et  toute  voyes  de  tout ,  je  nûen  attendaye  à  Notre 
Seigneur .” 


92 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


“  I  do  not  exactly  know  ;  if  it  were  of  gold,  it  was  not 
fine  gold  ;  I  do  not  know  if  it  were  of  gold  or  of  brass  ; 
there  were  three  crosses  on  it,  and  no  other  mark  that  I 
know  of,  except  1  Jhesus  Maria.’” 

“  Why  was  it  that  you  generally  looked  at  this  ring 
when  you  were  going  into  battle  ?  ” 

“  For  pleasure,  and  in  honour  of  my  father  and 
mother  ;  I  had  that  ring  in  my  hand  and  on  my  finger 
when  I  touched  Saint  Catherine  as  she  appeared  to  me.” 

“  What  part  of  Saint  Catherine  ?  ” 

“  You  will  have  no  more  about  it.” 

“  Did  you  ever  kiss  or  embrace  Saint  Catherine  or 
Saint  Margaret  ?  ” 

“  1  have  embraced  them  both.” 

“  Did  they  smell  good  ?  ” 

“It  is  well  to  know,  they  smelled  good.” 

“In  embracing  them,  did  you  feel  any  heat  or  any¬ 
thing  else  ?  ” 

“  I  could  not  have  embraced  them  without  feeling  and 
touching  them.” 

“What  part  did  you  kiss — face  or  feet  ?  ” 

“  It  is  more  proper  and  respectful  to  kiss  their  feet.” 

“  Did  you  not  give  them  crowns  ?  ” 

“In  their  honour,  I  often  put  crowns  on  their  images 
in  the  Churches.  As  to  those  who  appeared  to  me,  I 
never  gave  any  to  them  that  I  can  remember.” 

“  When  you  placed  crowns  of  flowers  on  the  tree  of 
which  you  spoke  before,  did  you  put  them  in  honour  of 
those  who  appeared  to  you  ?  ” 

“  No.” 

“When  these  Saints  came  to  you,  did  you  do  them  no 
reverence  ?  did  you  bend  the  knee  before  them  ?  did 
you  bow  ?  ” 

“Yes:  and,  so  far  as  I  could  do  them  reverence,  I 
did  ;  I  know  it  is  they  who  are  in  the  Kingdom  of 
Paradise.” 


NINE  PRIVATE  EXAMINATIONS 


93 


“  Do  you  know  nothing  of  those  who  came  in  the  air 
with  the  fairies  ?  ” 

“I  have  never  done  or  known  anything  about  them  ;  but 
I  have  heard  of  them,  and  that  they  came  on  Thursdays  ; 
but  I  do  not  believe  it;  I  think  it  is  sorcery.” 

“  Did  not  they  wave  your  standard  round  the  head  of 
your  King  when  he  was  consecrated  at  Rheims  ?  ” 

“  No,  not  that  I  know  of.” 

“Why  was  it  taken  to  the  Church  of  Rheims  for  the 
consecration  more  than  those  of  other  captains  ?  ” 

“  It  had  shared  the  pain,  it  was  only  right  it  should 
share  the  honour.” 

Meeting  at  the  Bishop' s  house  of  the  Doctors  and 
Assessors  to  consider  the  Case.  Sunday  of  the  Passion 
of  our  Saviour ,  18 th  day  of  the  month  of  March.  The 
Bishop  and  Jean  Lemaître ,  assisted  by  twelve  Assessors, 
present. 

We,  the  said  Bishop,  shewed  that  Jeanne  had  lately 
been  questioned  during  eight  days,  and  that  a  great 
number  of  her  replies  had  been  put  in  writing  ;  to-day 
we  have  need  of  the  opinion  of  the  Assessors  as  to  the 
mode  of  procedure. 

Then  We  caused  to  be  read  a  great  number  of  asser¬ 
tions  which,  by  Our  order,  have  been  extracted  by 
several  Masters  from  the  answers  of  Jeanne  :  so  that,  by 
means  of  these  assertions,  they,  the  said  Assessors,  will 
be  able  the  better  to  take  up  the  Process  as  a  whole,  and 
thus  decide  more  certainly  on  what  remains  to  be  done. 

After  this  shewing,  the  said  Lords  and  Masters  did 
deliberate  with  great  solemnity  and  maturity  ;  and  each 
of  them  did  give  us  his  opinion. 

We,  the  Judges,  did  then  conclude  and  give  order  as 
follows  : 

Each  of  the  Doctors  and  Masters  shall  have  the  matter 
to  examine  and  study  for  his  own  part  in  all  diligence, 


94 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


and  to  make  research  in  authentic  books  for  the  opinion 
of  the  Doctors  on  each  of  the  said  assertions.  On  Thurs¬ 
day  next,  We  will  re-assemble  anew  to  confer  upon  them. 
On  that  day,  each  one  shall  submit  to  Us  his  opinion. 

Besides  this,  we  have  given  orders  that  between  this 
and  then  shall  be  extracted  from  the  questions  and 
answers  of  Jeanne  certain  Articles,  which  shall  be  moved 
against  her  in  the  Court  before  Us,  the  Judges. 

[The  Seventy  Articles  prepared  by  the  Promoter, 
which  form  the  Act  of  Accusation  for  the  Trial  in  Ordi¬ 
nary,  were  read  to  Jeanne  by  Thomas  de  Courcelles,  on 
Tuesday,  March  27th.  These  Articles  will  be  found, 
with  Jeanne’s  replies  to  them,  in  the  Appendix.  The 
Seventy  Articles  were  afterwards  reduced  to  Twelve  by 
Maître  Nicolas  Midi.  These  are  given  in  the  Appendix, 
P-  341.]  _ 

Another  Meeting  in  the  Bishop' s  house ,  in  which  it  is 
decided  to  compile  Articles  from  the  said  Extracts. 

And  the  following  Thursday ,  22 nd  March ,  under  the 
présidence  of  Us,  the  Bishop ,  and  Maître  Jean  Le?naître, 
assisted  by  2 3  Assessors. 

In  presence  of  the  above,  have  been  reported  sundry 
assertions  gathered  and  considered  in  the  matter,  in  a 
notable  and  scientific  manner,  by  many  Doctors  and 
Masters.  In  view  of  these  assertions,  after  having  the 
opinions  conferred  thereon  at  length  with  each  of  the 
Assessors,  We,  the  Judges,  did  conclude  and  give  order 
that  the  assertions  thus  extracted  from  the  register  of 
the  declarations  of  Jeanne  shall  be  drawn  up  in  a  very 
small  number  of  Articles  under  the  form  of  propositions  ; 
that  the  Articles  thus  prepared  shall  be  communicated 
at  once  to  all  and  each  of  the  Doctors  and  Masters,  who 
can  thus  the  more  easily  pronounce  their  opinion. 

On  the  question  of  whether  Jeanne  ought  to  be 


NINE  PRIVATE  EXAMINATIONS 


95 


again  interrogated  and  examined  later  on,  We  will  pro¬ 
ceed  in  such  sort,  with  the  help  of  Our  Lord,  that  Our 
case  may  be  conducted  to  the  praise  of  God  and  the 
exaltation  of  the  Faith,  being  affected  by  no  blemish. 


The  questions  are  read  to  Jeanne  in  prison. 

On  the  following  Saturday ,  March  24th,  in  the  prison 
of  Jeanne  ;  Maître  Jean  Delafontaine ,  Commissioner  for 
Us,  the  Bishop,  and  Brother  Jean  Lemaître  ;  assisted  by 
J.  Beaupere,  N.  Midi,  P.  Maurice,  G.  Feuillet ,  Thomas 
de  Courcelles ,  Enguerrand  de  Champrond. 

In  presence  of  the  above-named,  We  caused  to  be  read 
to  Jeanne  the  Register  which  contained  the  questions 
made  to  her  and  her  answers.  This  reading  was  made 
in  the  presence  of  the  said  Jeanne  by  G.  Manchon, 
Registrar,  and  in  the  French  language. 

But  before  proceeding  to  this  reading,  Our  Promoter, 
Messire  d’Estivet,  offered  to  prove,  in  case  Jeanne  should 
not  recognize  some  of  her  answers,  that  all  the  contents 
of  the  said  Register,  questions  and  answers,  had  been 
pronounced  as  they  were  there  written.  And  on  her 
side,  Jeanne  made  oath  that,  during  the  reading,  which 
was  about  to  be  made,  she  would  add  or  change  nothing 
in  her  answers  that  was  not  the  truth. 

The  Register  was  then  read.  In  one  place  during  the 
reading,  Jeanne  said  : 

“  I  have  as  surname  d’Arc  or  Rommée  :  in  my  country 
the  girls  take  the  name  of  their  mother.” 

Further  on,  she  said  : 

“  Let  the  questions  and  answers,  all  that  has  to  be 
read,  be  read  without  stopping  :  if  I  do  not  contradict  at 
all,  I  hold  it  true  and  acknowledged.” 

On  the  subject  of  the  passage  relative  to  her  dress,  she 
said  in  addition  : 

“  Give  me  a  woman’s  dress  to  go  and  rejoin  my  mother  ; 


96 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


I  will  take  it  that  I  may  get  out  of  prison,  because  when 
I  am  outside  I  will  consider  as  to  what  I  should  do.” 

The  reading  of  the  contents  of  the  said  Register  being 
finished,  she  said  : 

“  I  believe  certainly  to  have  so  spoken  as  it  is  written 
in  the  Register,  and  as  has  been  read  ;  I  do  not  contra¬ 
dict  on  any  point.” 


Exhortation  to  Jeanne . 

Palm  Sunday ,  25  th  day  of  March ,  in  the  morning , 
in  the  prison  of  Jeanne,  in  the  Castle  of  Rouen ,  We, 
the  Bishop,  did  make  an  address  to  Jeanne ,  in  the 
presence  of  the  venerable  Lords  and  Masters ,  J.  Beaupere, 
N.  Midi,  P.  Maurice,  Thomas  de  Courcelles. 

We  told  her,  that  many  times  already  and  notably 
yesterday,  she  had  requested,  because  of  the  solemnity  of 
these  days  and  the  time,  that  she  might  be  permitted  to 
hear  Mass  to-day,  Palm  Sunday  ;  in  consequence,  We 
were  come  to  ask  her  if,  supposing  this  favour  were 
accorded  to  her,  she  would  consent  to  put  off  her  man’s 
dress,  and  to  take  the  dress  of  a  woman,  as  formerly  she 
had  been  accustomed  to  wear  it  in  her  birth-place,  and  as 
worn  by  all  the  women  of  her  country  ? 

The  said  Jeanne  answered  by  again  asking  of  Us 
permission  to  hear  Mass  in  the  dress  she  now  wears,  and 
in  the  same  dress  to  receive  the  Eucharist  on  Easter 
Day. 

“  Reply,”  We  said  to  her,  “to  what  we  ask  you;  tell 
us,  in  the  event  of  your  being  permitted  to  hear  Mass, 
if  you  will  consent  to  abandon  the  dress  you  wear.” 

“  I  have  not  consulted  thereon,”  she  said,  “and  cannot 
yet  take  a  woman’s  dress.” 

“  Do  you  wish  to  have  counsel  of  your  Saints  to  know 
if  you  ought  to  take  woman’s  garments  ?  ” 

“  May  I  not  then,”  she  said,  “  be  permitted  to  hear 


NINE  PRIVATE  EXAMINATIONS 


97 


Mass  in  the  state  in  which  I  am  ?  I  desire  it  ardently  ! 
As  to  changing  my  dress,  I  cannot  :  it  is  not  in  my 
power.” 

All  the  Assessors  then  joined  themselves  with  Us, 
and  each  exhorted  her,  for  so  great  a  benefit,  and  to 
satisfy  the  feeling  of  devotion  with  which  she  seemed 
animated,  to  consent  to  take  the  only  garment  which  was 
suitable  to  her  sex. 

“  That,”  she  declared,  “  is  not  in  my  power  :  if  it  were, 
it  would  soon  be  done  !  ” 

“  Speak  of  it  to  your  Voices,”  said  the  Assessors,  “  to 
know  if  you  may  again  take  your  woman’s  dress,  in  order 
that  at  Easter  you  may  receive  the  Viaticum.” 

“  I  cannot  change  my  dress  :  I  cannot  therefore  re¬ 
ceive  the  Viaticum.  I  beg  of  you,  my  Lords,  permit  me 
to  hear  Mass  in  man’s  dress  ;  this  dress  does  not  weigh 
upon  my  soul,  and  is  not  contrary  to  the  laws  of  the 
Church.” 

Of  all  the  preceding,  Master  Jean  d’Estivet,  Promoter, 
hath  asked  that  there  may  be  delivered  to  him  a  Public 
Instrument,  in  the  presence  of  the  Lords  and  Masters, 
Adam  Hillet,  William  Brolbster,  and  Pierre  Orient,  of 
the  Clergy  of  Rouen,  London  and  Châlons,  respectively. 


H 


THE  TRIAL  IN  ORDINARY 


Here  begins  the  Trial  in  Ordinary ,  after  the  Trial 
Ex-Officio. 

Monday  after  Palm  Sunday ,  26 th  day  of  March ,  in 
the  Bishop' s  House.  Present  :  The  Bishop  and  Brother 
fean  Lemaître ,  assisted  by  12  Assessors. 

In  presence  of  the  above,  We  caused  to  be  read 
certain  Articles  comprising  that  one  which  the  Promoter 
intendeth  to  produce  against  Jeanne. 

After  the  reading  of  these  Articles,  it  was  decided 
that,  following  the  preliminary  trial  until  now  conducted 
from  our  Office,  as  We,  the  Bishop,  and  subsequently 
We,  the  Deputy,  have  decreed  and  concluded,  it  will  be 
expedient  to  proceed  henceforward  by  an  action  in 
Ordinary. 

It  was  also  decided  that  the  Articles  just  read 
have  been  well  put  together;  that  Jeanne  should  be 
questioned  and  heard  upon  each  of  them  ;  that  these 
Articles  shall  be  proposed,  in  the  name  of  the  Pro¬ 
moter,  by  some  grave  advocate,  or  by  the  Promoter 
himself;  that  if  Jeanne  should  refuse  to  answer  after 
a  Canonical  monition  shall  have  been  addressed  to  her, 
as  a  preliminary,  the  said  Articles  shall  be  held  as 
acknowledged. 

Following  on  this  decision,  We,  the  Judges,  gave  order 
that  the  Articles  of  which  we  treat  shall,  from  to-morrow 


THE  TRIAL  IN  ORDINARY 


99 


be  proposed  by  our  Promoter;  and  that  Jeanne  should 
be,  in  like  manner,  interrogated  upon  each  of  them  and 
heard  in  answer. 


The  Promoter  presents  his  petition. 

The  next  day,  Tuesday  after  Palm  Sunday,  2  7th  day 
of  March,  in  the  room  near  the  Great  Hall  of  the  Castle 
of  Rouen.  The  Promoter  opened  the  case.  Present:  The 
Bishop  and  Brother  Jean  Lemaître,  assisted  by  38 
Assessors. 

He  then  shewed  the  text  of  the  accusation  drawn  up 
by  him  against  Jeanne,  in  the  which  are  found  stated  the 
Articles  just  spoken  of,  and  of  which  the  tenour  shall  be 
written  below. 

This  done,  We,  the  Judges,  did  request  the  Lords  and 
Masters  here  present  to  deliberate  and  to  give  Us  their 
opinion. 

This  deliberation  1  took  place  in  presence  of  Jeanne, 
as  follows  : 

And  first,  Maître  Nicolas  de  Venderes  said  :  that 
Jeanne  should  in  the  first  place  be  compelled  to  swear 
what  the  Promoter  hath  rightly  demanded  ;  that  should 
Jeanne  refuse  to  swear,  she  be  accounted  contumacious 
and  excommunicate,  and  be  proceeded  against  according 
to  law. 

Maître  Jean  Pinchon  :  That  the  Articles  should  first 
be  read  to  her. 

Maître  Jean  Basset  :  That  the  Articles  should  be  read 
to  her  before  she  be  excommunicated. 

Maître  Jean  Guerin:  Agrees  with  preceding. 

Maître  Jean  D  elaf ont  aine  :  Of  the  same  opinion  as 
M.  Venderès. 

Maître  Geoffrey  de  Crotay  :  That  she  should  be  given 
at  least  three  days  before  being  declared  excommunicate 
1  Given  only  in  the  Minute. 

H  2 


IOO 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


and  convicted  ;  in  civil  matters  there  is  always  a  three 
days’  delay  for  taking  the  oath. 

Maître  Jean  Ledoux  :  Agrees  with  preceding. 

Maître  Gilles  Deschamps  :  That  the  Articles  should 
be  read  to  her,  and  that  a  day  should  be  assigned  for  her 
to  answer. 

Maître  Robert  Barbier  :  Agrees  with  preceding. 

The  Lord  Abbot  of  Fécamp  :  She  is  bound  to  speak 
the  truth  on  what  touches  the  Case  ;  that,  if  she  has  not 
already  been  summoned  to  that  effect,  she  be  so  sum¬ 
moned  with  the  due  legal  interval. 

Maître  Jean  de  Châtillon  :  She  is  bound  to  speak  the 
truth,  her  own  affairs  being  in  question. 

Maître  Erard  Ermengard  :  Agrees  with  the  Abbot  of 
Fécamp. 

Maître  Guillaume  Lebouchier  :  Agrees  with  the  pre¬ 
ceding. 

The  Lord  Prior  oj  Longueville  :  For  those  things  to 
which  she  does  not  know  how  to  answer,  it  seems  to  be 
exacting  too  much  to  wish  her  to  reply  by  “  I  believe  ” 
or  “  I  do  not  believe.” 

Maître  Jean  Beaupère  :  To  questions  of  fact  on  which 
she  has  certain  knowledge  she  should  reply  at  once  ;  to 
others,  on  which  she  has  not  certain  knowledge  or  which 
relate  to  law,  delay  should  be  granted  if  she  asks  for  it. 

Maître  Jacques  de  Touraine  :  Agrees  with  the  pre¬ 
ceding. 

Maître  Nicolas  Midi  :  The  same,  with  this  addition  : 
That  the  Jurists  should  be  consulted  in  order  to  decide 
if  she  should  be  constrained  to  swear  from  the  present 
time. 

Maître  Maurice  Duguesnay  :  The  same  as  the  Abbot 
of  Fécamp. 

Maître  Jean  de  Nib  at  :  As  to  the  Articles  he  would 
refer  to  the  Jurists  ;  as  to  the  oath,  she  is  bound  to  swear 
regarding  such  things  as  touch  on  the  Trial  or  the 


THE  TRIAL  IN  ORDINARY 


IOI 


Faith  ;  if  on  other  subjects  she  should  ask  delay,  let  it 
be  granted  to  her. 

Maître  Jean  Lefevre  :  Refers  to  the  Jurists. 

Maître  Pierre  Maurice  :  She  should  answer  to  what 
she  knows. 

Maître  Gerard:  She  is  bound  to  reply  on  oath. 

Maître  Jacqzies  Gtiesdon  :  Agrees  with  preceding. 

Maître  Thomas  de  Courcelles  :  She  should  answer  ; 
each  Article  should  be  read  to  her,  and  she  should 
answer  them  in  order.  As  to  delay,  it  should  be 
granted  to  her  on  such  points  of  the  subject  as  she 
should  request  it. 

Montre  André  Marguerie  :  She  ought  to  swear  on 
what  touches  the  Case  :  as  to  doubtful  points  she  should 
be  allowed  delay. 

Maître  Denis  Gastinel :  She  ought  to  swear  ;  the 
Promoter  is  right  to  demand  her  oath  ;  as  to  what  action 
should  be  taken  in  case  she  should  refuse,  it  would  be 
necessary  for  him  to  consult  his  books. 

Maître  A  zibert  Morel ,  and  Maître  Jean  Duchemin  : 
She  ought  to  swear. 

The  opinion  of  the  others  is  lacking. 

Then  We,  the  Judges,  considering  the  request  of  the 
Promoter,  by  the  advice  of  each  of  the  Assessors, 
gave  order,  and  do  give  order,  that  the  Articles  just 
produced  by  the  Promoter  shall  at  once  be  read  and 
shewn  in  French  to  the  said  Jeanne,  who,  on  each  of 
them,  shall  answer  according  to  knowledge  ;  and  if  there 
are  any  points  on  which  she  asks  delay,  delay  of  right 
shall  be  granted  to  her. 

Then  the  Promoter  did  abjure  all  calumny — that  is  to 
say,  affirmed  upon  oath,  that  he  was  not  led  to  bring 
these  Articles  against  the  said  Jeanne  by  favour,  rancour, 
hate  or  fear,  but  was  solely  animated  by  zeal  for  the  Faith. 

These  preliminaries  being  completed,  We,  the  Bishop 


102 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


did  address  to  Jeanne  a  Canonical  Admonition.  We 
told  her  that  all  the  Assessors  were  ecclesiastical  persons 
of  consummate  knowledge,  experts  in  law,  human  and 
divine,  who  desired  and  intended  to  proceed  against  her, 
as  they  had  already  done  up  to  this  time,  with  kindness 
and  piety,  and  that,  far  from  seeking  vengeance  or 
punishment,  they  desired,  on  the  contrary,  only  her 
instruction  and  return  into  the  way  of  truth  and  salvation. 

“  But  because  you  are  neither  well  enough  taught  nor 
instructed  in  these  arduous  matters,  by  yourself,  to 
provide  what  you  should  do  or  say,  We  offer  you  to 
choose  for  counsel  such  of  the  Assessors  as  you  shall  be 
pleased  to  point  out  ;  if  you  do  not  of  yourself  know 
how  to  make  this  choice,  We  offer  to  do  it  for  you,  and  to 
point  out  to  you  some  who  will  counsel  you  on  what  you 
have  to  answer  or  do,  on  the  condition  always,  that  in 
matters  of  pure  faith  you  will  answer  yourself,  and 
charging  you  to  swear  to  speak  the  truth  on  those  things 
which  are  personal  to  yourself.” 

To  Our  exhortation,  Jeanne  replied  in  these  terms  : 

“  First,  as  to  that  on  which  you  admonish  me  for  my 
good  and  for  our  Faith,  I  thank  you  and  all  the  company 
also  ;  as  to  the  counsel  which  you  offer  me,  also  I 
thank  you  ;  but  I  have  no  intention  of  desisting  from  the 
counsel  of  Our  Lord.  As  to  the  oath  that  you  wish 
me  to  make,  I  am  ready  to  speak  the  truth  on  all  that 
touches  the  Case.” 

And  thus  did  she  swear,  her  hands  on  the  Holy 
Gospels. 

After  this,  by  Our  order  were  read  the  Articles 
contained  in  the  document  which  the  Promoter  hath  just 
deposited.  Each  of  these  Articles  was  read  to  Jeanne 
in  the  French  language  by  Thomas  de  Courcelles  ;  and 
she  was  called  upon  to  reply  in  succession  to  each  of 
these  Articles  :  which  she  did.  The  completion  of  this 


THE  TRIAL  IN  ORDINARY 


103 


formality  hath  filled  up  the  end  of  the  Sitting  for  this 
day,  and  all  the  Sitting  of  the  next  day. 


Jeanne  is  interrogated  in  Prison  on  submission  to  the 
Church. 

And  the  following  Saturday ,  the  last  day  of  the  month 
of  March ,  Easter  Eve ,  under  the  presidency  of  Us,  the 
aforesaid  Judges ,  in  Jeanne  s  prison ,  being  assisted  by 
the  Lords  and  Masters ,  Jean  Beaupère,  J.  de  Touraine, 
N.  Midi ,  P.  Maurice,  G.  Feuillet,  G.  Haiton,  and  T.  de 
Cour  celles  ;  Guillaume  Muton  and  John  Gris,ivitnesses  : 

Jeanne  hath  been  questioned  as  follows,  touching 
sundry  points  on  which  she  did,  as  hath  been  seen, 
ask  delay  for  reply  : 

“  Will  you  refer  yourself  to  the  judgment  of  the 
Church  on  earth  for  all  you  have  said  or  done,  be  it 
good  or  bad  ?  Especially  will  you  refer  to  the  Church 
the  cases,  crimes,  and  offences  which  are  imputed  to  you 
and  everything  which  touches  on  this  Trial  ?” 

“  On  all  that  I  am  asked  I  will  refer  to  the  Church 
Militant,  provided  they  do  not  command  anything 
impossible.  And  I  hold  as  a  thing  impossible  to  declare 
that  my  actions  and  my  words  and  all  that  I  have 
answered  on  the  subject  of  my  visions  and  revelations  I 
have  not  done  and  said  by  the  order  of  God  :  this,  I  will 
not  declare  for  anything  in  the  world.  And  that  which 
God  hath  made  me  do,  hath  commanded  or  shall 
command,  I  will  not  fail  to  do  for  any  man  alive.  It 
would  be  impossible  for  me  to  revoke  it.  And  in  case 
the  Church  should  wish  me  to  do  anything  contrary  to 
the  command  which  has  been  given  me  of  God,  I  will 
not  consent  to  it,  whatever  it  may  be.” 

“If  the  Church  Militant  tells  you  that  your  revela¬ 
tions  are  illusions,  or  diabolical  things,  will  you  defer  to 
the  Church  ?  ” 


104 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


“  I  will  defer  to  God,  Whose  Commandment  I 
always  do.  I  know  well  that  that  which  is  contained  in 
my  Case  has  come  to  me  by  the  Commandment  of  God  ; 
what  I  affirm  in  the  Case  is,  that  I  have  acted  by  the 
order  of  God  :  it  is  impossible  for  me  to  say  otherwise. 
In  case  the  Church  should  prescribe  the  contrary,  I 
should  not  refer  to  any  one  in  the  world,  but  to  God 
alone,  Whose  Commandment  I  always  follow.” 

“  Do  you  not  then  believe  you  are  subject  to  the 
Church  of  God  which  is  on  earth,  that  is  to  say  to 
our  Lord  the  Pope,  to  the  Cardinals,  the  Archbishops, 
Bishops,  and  other  prelates  of  the  Church  ?  ” 

‘‘Yes,  I  believe  myself  to  be  subject  to  them;  but 
God  must  be  served  first.” 

“  Have  you  then  command  from  your  Voices  not  to 
submit  vourself  to  the  Church  Militant,  which  is  on 
earth,  nor  to  its  decision  ?  ” 

“  I  answer  nothing  from  my  own  head  ;  what  I  answer 
is  by  command  of  my  Voices  ;  they  do  not  order  me  to 
disobey  the  Church,  but  God  must  be  served  first.” 

“At  the  Castle  of  Beaurevoir,  at  Arras  or  elsewhere, 
had  you  any  files  ?  ” 

“If  any  were  found  upon  me,  I  have  nothing  to  say.” 

This  done  we  did  retire,  postponing  to  another  day 
the  continuation  of  this  present  Trial  for  Belief. 


Choice  is  made  of  assertions  on  which  the  delibera¬ 
tion  should  bear ,  and  these  assertions  are  drawn  ut>  in 
Twelve  Articles. 

The  Monday ,  Tuesday ,  and  Wednesday  after  Easter , 
the  2nd ,  3rd,  and  \th  of  April,  in  the  year  of  Our  Lord, 
I43I- 

We,  the  Judges,  have  convoked  sundry  Doctors  and 
Masters  with  whom  we  have  carefully  examined  the 
Seventy  Articles  which  have  been  recently  transcribed, 


THE  TRIAL  IN  ORDINARY 


io5 


together  with  the  questions  and  answers  of  Jeanne, 
attached  to  each  of  these  Seventy  Articles. 

This  examination  carried  out,  We  did  decide  that  it  is 
expedient  to  extract  from  this  collection  certain  assertions 
and  propositions,  and  to  embody  these  assertions  and 
propositions  in  Twelve  Articles  only,  which  shall  thus 
comprehend,  in  a  summary  and  succinct  manner,  the 
greater  part  of  the  sayings  of  the  Accused. 

These  Twelve  Articles  having  been  prepared,  We,  the 
Judges,  did  decree  that  it  is  expedient  to  transmit  these 
Articles  to  the  Doctors,  and  others,  expert  in  laws  Divine 
and  human,  in  order  to  have  from  them,  for  the  benefit 
of  the  Faith,  advice  and  counsel  on  the  character  of  the 
assertions  therein  contained.  [The  Twelve  Articles  of 
Accusation  will  be  found  in  the  Appendix,  p.  366.] 


The  Twelve  Articles  are  sent  to  the  Committee. 

The  following  Thursday ,  April  $th,  We,  the  Judges, 
sent  the  Articles  in  question  to  each  of  the  Doctors  and 
Masters  having  knowledge  thereof,  whom  we  knew  were 
to  be  found  in  this  town.  We  accompanied  our  missive 
with  a  letter  of  requisition  for  each  of  them,  couched  in 
these  terms  : 

“  We,  Pierre,  by  the  Divine  mercy  Bishop  of 
Beauvais,  and  Brother  Jean  Lemaître,  Vicar  of  the 
Inquisition,  To  you,  such  an  one  [here  followed!  the 
name,  surname,  and  quality  of  the  Doctor  or  Master], 
we  pray  you,  and  for  the  good  of  the  Faith,  require  you, 
that  before  Tuesday  next  you  will  give  us  in  writing  and 
under  your  seal  wholesome  counsel  on  the  subject  of  the 
assertions  borne  in  the  Twelve  Articles  hereto  annexed, 
in  order  to  know  if,  the  said  assertions  being  by  you 
maturely  weighed,  considered,  and  compared,  all  or  any 
of  them  seem  to  you  contrary  to  the  Orthodox  Faith,  or, 
on  any  point  contrary  to  Holy  Writ,  to  the  decisions 


io6 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


of  the  Holy  Roman  Church,  to  the  decisions  of  Doctors 
approved  by  the  Church,  or  to  the  Canonical  sanction  ; 
and  if  all  or  any  seem  to  you  scandalous,  audacious, 
disturbing  to  the  Commonwealth,  injurious,  criminal, 
contrary  to  good  manners,  or  culpable  in  any  other 
manner  whatsoever  ;  and  in  effect  for  you  to  say  what 
appears  to  you  should  be  enacted  with  regard  to  them 
in  a  matter  of  Faith.  Written  at  Rouen,  Thursday 
after  Easter,  April  5th,  the  year  of  our  Lord,  1431.” 


Exhortations  and  Admonitions. 

Private  Exhortation  by  the  Bishop. 

Wednesday ,  1 8th  day  of  April,  We,  the  Judges,  having 
cognizance  already  by  the  deliberations  and  opinions  of 
a  great  number  of  Doctors  in  Theology  and  in  Canon 
Law,  of  Licentiates  and  other  Graduates,  of  the  many 
and  considerable  errors  brought  out  in  the  replies  and 
assertions  of  the  said  Jeanne,  and  knowing  that  she  doth 
expose  herself,  if  she  doth  not  correct  herself,  to  serious 
dangers  : 

For  this  reason,  We  did  decide  to  exhort  her  charitably, 
to  admonish  her  gently,  and  to  cause  her  to  be  gently 
admonished  by  many  men  of  knowledge  and  probity, 
Doctors  and  others,  in  order  to  lead  her  back  into  the 
way  of  truth  and  to  a  sincere  profession  of  our  Faith. 

To  this  end,  We  did  to-day  repair  to  the  place  of  her 
prison,  having  with  us  Guillaume  Lebouchier,  Jacques 
de  Touraine,  Maurice  de  Ouesnay,  Nicolas  Midi, 
Guillaume  Adelie,  Gerard  Feuillet,  and  Guillaume 
Haiton. 

In  their  presence  We,  the  Bishop,  did  begin  to  speak 
to  Jeanne,  who  declared  herself  ill.1  We  told  her  that 

1  Guillaume  Delachambre  says  that  he  was  sent  for  by  the  Cardinal  of 
England  and  the  Earl  of  Warwick  to  attend  Jeanne,  with  Desjardins  and 


EXHORTATIONS  AND  ADMONITIONS  107 


the  Doctors  and  Masters  who  accompanied  Us  were 
come  to  see  her  in  a  friendly  and  charitable  way,  to  visit 
her  in  her  suffering  and  to  bring  her  consolation  and 
comfort.  Then,  We  recalled  to  her,  that  she  had  been 
during  many  days,  and  at  divers  times,  and  in  presence 
of  many  ecclesiastics  full  of  wisdom,  questioned  on 
points,  grave  and  difficult,  concerning  the  Faith  ;  that 
she  had  made  answers,  varied  and  diverse,  which  wise 
and  lettered  men  have  examined  with  the  most  scrupu¬ 
lous  attention  ;  that  they  have  noted  many  of  her  words 
and  avowals  which,  from  the  point  of  view  of  the  Faith, 
have  appeared  to  them  perilous  ;  but  that  she  is  only  a 
poor  illiterate  woman,  who  knoweth  not  the  Scriptures. 
We  come  to  her  and  We  offer  her  learned  and  wise  men, 
watchful  and  honest,  who  will  give  her,  as  is  their  duty, 
the  knowledge  which  she  hath  not.  And  at  the  same 
time  We  did  exhort  the  Doctors  and  Masters  here 
present  to  give  to  Jeanne,  counsel  profitable  to  the 
salvation  of  her  body  and  soul,  and  this  in  virtue  of  the 
duty  which  binds  them  to  the  doctrine  of  the  true  Faith. 
If  Jeanne  should  know  others  who  appear  to  her  more 
apt  than  the  Doctors  here  present,  We  offer  to  send 
them  to  her  to  counsel  and  instruct  her  on  what  she 
should  do,  maintain,  and  believe.  We  added  that  we 
are  all  Clergy,  always  disposed  by  vocation,  will  and 
inclination,  to  seek  by  all  means  the  salvation  of  body 
and  soul,  absolutely,  as  we  should  do  it  for  our  nearest 
and  for  ourselves.  We  shall  be  happy  to  furnish  her 
each  day  with  such  men  to  procure  her  the  instruction 
that  We  owe  her,  and  to  do  towards  her  all  that  the 
Church  is  accustomed  to  do  in  such  circumstances,  she 
who  shutteth  not  the  fold  against  the  repentant  lamb. 


other  Doctors  ;  he  was  told  by  Warwick  to  give  all  attention  to  the  patient, 
“as  the  King  would  not  for  anything  in  the  world,  that  she  should  die  a 
natural  death  ;  she  had  cost  too  dear  for  that  ;  he  had  bought  her  dear, 
and  he  did  not  wish  her  to  die  except  by  justice  and  the  fire.” 


io8 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


Finally  We  told  her  to  take  into  great  consideration  this 
admonition  which  We  address  to  her  for  her  salvation, 
and  to  follow  it  up  efficiently  :  for,  if  she  should  act  in 
opposition  to  Our  words,  if  she  should  be  obstinate  in 
her  own  mind  in  consulting  only  her  inexperienced  brain, 
we  must  abandon  her  ;  and  she  can  see  to  what  peril  she 
doth  expose  herself  in  this  case.  It  is  this  peril  which 
We  seek  to  avoid  for  her  with  all  the  power  of  Our 
affection. 

To  which  Jeanne  hath  answered  : 

“  I  thank  you  for  what  you  say  to  me  for  my  salvation. 
It  seems  to  me,  seeing  how  ill  I  am,  that  I  am  in 
great  danger  of  death  :  if  it  be  that  God  may  do  His 
pleasure  on  me,  I  ask  of  you  that  I  may  have  confession, 
and  my  Saviour  also,  and  that  I  may  be  put  in  holy 
ground.” 

“  If  you  will  have  the  rights  [ droits ]  and  Sacraments 
of  the  Church,”  We  said  to  her,  “  you  must  do  as  good 
Catholics  do,  and  submit  yourself  to  the  Church.  If  you 
persevere  in  your  intention  of  not  submitting  to  the 
Church,  you  cannot  have  the  Sacraments  you  ask 
administered  to  you,  except  the  Sacrament  of  Penance, 
which  We  are  always  ready  to  give  you.” 

“  I  have  for  the  moment  nothing  else  to  say  to  you.” 

“The  more  you  fear  for  your  life,  on  account  of  the 
illness  that  you  have,  the  more  should  you  amend  ;  you 
will  not  have  the  rights  of  a  Catholic  if  you  do  not 
submit  to  the  Church.” 

“If  my  body  dies  in  prison,  I  trust  that  you  will  have 
it  put  in  holy  ground  ;  if  you  do  not  have  it  put  there,  I 
place  my  trust  in  God  !  ” 

“  You  said  in  your  Trial  that  if  you  had  said  or  done 
anything  against  the  Christian  Faith  established  by  Our 
Lord,  you  would  not  maintain  it.” 

“  I  refer  to  the  answer  that  I  have  made  to  that,  and 
to  Our  Lord.” 


EXHORTATIONS  AND  ADMONITIONS  109 


“  You  say  you  have  had  many  revelations  from  God  by 
Saint  Michael,  Saint  Catherine  and  Saint  Margaret  :  if 
any  good  person  were  to  come  affirming  that  he  had 
revelations  from  God  touching  your  mission,  would  you 
believe  him  ?  ” 

“  There  is  no  Christian  in  this  world  who  could  come 
to  me  and  say  he  had  had  a  revelation  but  that  I  should 
know  if  he  were  speaking  truly  or  not  ;  I  should  know 
it  by  Saint  Catherine  and  Saint  Margaret.” 

“  You  imagine  then  that  God  can  reveal  nothing  to 
any  one  which  is  unknown  to  you  ?  ” 

“  I  know  well  that  He  can  ;  but  for  me,  I  should  not 
believe  in  this  case  any  man  or  woman  if  I  had  not  some 
sign.” 

“  Do  you  believe  that  the  Holy  Scriptures  have  been 
revealed  by  God  ?  ” 

“  You  know  it  well  ;  I  know  it  well  !  ” 

“We  summon  you,  We  exhort  you,  We  beseech  you 
to  take  counsel  of  the  Clerks  and  notable  Masters  here 
present,  and  to  believe  in  the  counsel  that  they  will  give 
you  for  the  salvation  of  your  soul.  And  once  more  We 
ask  you  if  you  will  submit  to  the  Church  Militant  your 
sayings  and  your  doings  ?  ” 

“Whatever  may  happen  to  me,  I  will  do  and  say 
no  other  thing  than  what  I  have  already  said  in  the 
Trial.” 

Here  the  venerable  Doctors  who  were  assisting  Us  did 
exhort  her  with  the  most  lively  instance  and  did  strive 
to  obtain  from  her  that  she  would  submit  herself  and 
her  acts  to  the  Church  Militant.  They  cited  to  her 
a  number  of  authorities  taken  from  Holy  Scripture,  and 
shewed  her  numerous  examples.  They  enlarged  upon 
these  authorities  and  these  examples.  One  of  the 
Doctors,1  in  his  exhortation,  brought  forward  this 
passage  of  Matthew,  chapter  xviii.  :  “If  thy  brother 

1  Nicolas  Midi. 


I  IO 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


sin  against  thee,  go  and  tell  him  his  fault  between  thee 
and  him  alone  ”  ;  and  this  other,  “If  he  will  not  hear 
the  Church,  let  him  be  unto  thee  as  a  heathen-man  and 
a  publican.”  He  shewed  to  Jeanne  these  truths  in 
French,  and  said  to  her  at  the  end,  that  if  she  would  not 
submit  to  the  Church  and  obey  it,  the  Church  must 
abandon  her  as  an  Infidel  \sarrazine\. 

“  I  am  a  good  Christian,”  she  answered,  “  I  have  been 
baptized  ;  I  shall  die  a  good  Christian  !  ” 

“  As  you  ask  that  the  Church  should  administer  the 
Eucharist  to  you,  why  will  you  not  submit  to  the  Church  ? 
It  would  be  administered  to  you  at  once.” 

“  Of  this  submission  I  will  say  no  more  than  I  have 
said  :  I  love  God,  I  serve  Him  ;  I  am  a  good  Christian  ; 
I  wish  to  help  and  maintain  the  Church  with  all  my 
power.” 

“  Do  you  not  wish  that  a  good  and  notable  procession 
might  be  ordained  to  restore  you  to  a  good  estate  if  you 
are  not  therein  ?  ” 

“  I  desire  that  the  Church  and  the  Catholics  should 
pray  for  me.” 


Ptiblic  Admonition  by  the  Judges. 

Wednesday ,  the  2nd  day  of  May ,  the  Judges  held  a 
sitting  in  the  room  of  the  Castle  of  Rouen  near  the  Great 
Hall  of  the  same  Castle  ;  assisted  by  63  Assessors. 

We,  the  Bishop,  did  first  address  to  the  above-named 
the  following  words  : 

“  After  having  been  thoroughly  questioned,  this  woman 
hath  had  to  reply  to  the  Articles  judicially  prepared 
against  her  by  the  Promoter  ;  then  We  have  had  a 
summary  made  of  her  avowals  and  declarations  in  a 
succinct  and  abridged  form  of  assertions  in  Twelve 
Articles,  which  We  have  addressed  to  the  Doctors  and 


EXHORTATIONS  AND  ADMONITIONS  m 


other  persons  consummate  in  knowledge  of  Theology,  of 
Civil  Law  and  of  Canon  Law,  in  order  to  have  their 
advice.  By  the  answers  which  many  amongst  them 
have  for  sometime  past  been  sending,  We  have  been  able 
to  recognize  that,  in  their  eyes,  this  woman  hath  fallen 
short  in  many  things  :  but  nothing  as  regards  this  has  as 
yet  been  decided  by  Us  ;  and  before  We  come  to  a  final 
decision,  many  honest  men,  conscientious  and  wise,  have 
thought  it  would  be  well  to  seek  by  all  means  to  instruct 
her  on  the  points  in  which  she  seems  to  be  lacking, 
and  to  reinstate  her  in  the  way  and  knowledge  of  the 
truth.  This  result  We  have  always  desired,  and  We 
ardently  desire  it  still.  For  We  ought  all  to  bend  our¬ 
selves  thereto,  We  who  live  in  the  Church,  and  in  the 
ministration  of  holy  things  ;  We  ought  to  strive  to  shew 
to  this  woman  with  all  gentleness  that  she  is,  by  her  words 
and  by  her  actions,  outside  the  Faith,  the  truth,  and 
religion,  and  to  warn  her  charitably  to  think  of  her 
salvation. 

“We  were  indeed  penetrated  with  this  idea  when  We 
attempted  to  convince  her,  in  sending  to  her,  divers 
times  and  privately,  eminent  Doctors,  sometimes  one, 
sometimes  another.  These  Doctors  have  responded  to 
our  call  with  the  greatest  zeal,  and  have  occupied 
themselves  with  her  with  the  greatest  gentleness, 
abstaining  in  every  way  from  coercion.  But  the  cunning 
of  the  Devil  has  continued  to  prevail,  and  their  efforts 
have  been  able  to  produce  nothing. 

“  Now  that  it  has  become  certain  to  Us  that  private 
admonitions  are  of  no  effect  with  her,  it  appears  to  Us 
opportune  to  assemble  you  together  in  a  solemn  manner, 
in  order  that  this  woman  should  be  admonished  before 
you  with  gentleness  and  charity  on  the  necessity  of  her 
return  [to  truth].  Perchance  your  presence  and  the 
exhortations  of  some  among  you  will  better  induce  her 
to  humility  and  obedience,  and  turn  her  back  from 


I  I  2 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


continuing  obstinate  in  her  own  ideas  ;  perchance  she 
will  believe  the  counsels  of  worthy  men,  of  the  wise, 
versed  in  the  science  of  the  laws,  divine  and  human  ; 
she  will  cease  to  expose  herself  to  the  gravest  dangers 
into  which  body  and  soul  can  fall. 

“  In  order  to  address  to  her  this  solemn  admonition, 
We  have  chosen  an  ancient  Master  in  Theology,  very 
learned  and  singularly  well  versed  in  these  matters, 
Maître  Jean  de  Châtillon,  Archdeacon  of  Evreux,  who, 
if  it  so  please  him,  will  shortly  accept  this  charge  of 
demonstrating  clearly  to  this  woman  sundry  points  on  the 
which  her  error  is  evident,  according  to  what  we  have 
already  gathered  from  the  opinions  which  have  reached 
Us,  and  who  will  persuade  her  to  leave  the  criminal  path 
where  she  now  is,  to  return  again  to  that  of  truth. 

“  It  is  for  this  purpose  that  this  woman  will  be  brought 
before  you  presently  ;  she  will,  therefore,  receive  in  your 
presence  a  solemn  admonition.  Now,  if  there  be  any  one 
among  you  who  thinketh  that  he  hath  anything  to  say 
or  do  which  may  facilitate  her  return,  or  instruct  her  in 
a  manner  profitable  to  the  salvation  of  her  body  and 
soul,  we  beseech  him  not  to  hesitate  to  open  himself  to 
Us  or  to  state  his  views  publicly.” 

Jeanne  was  then  brought,  and  placed  before  the 
assembly. 

We,  the  Bishop,  in  our  name  and  in  the  name  of  the 
other  Judge,  did  give  her  counsel  to  attend  to  the 
monitions  about  to  be  made  to  her  by  the  aforesaid  Lord 
Archdeacon,  Professor  in  Sacred  Theology,  who  was 
about  to  say  many  things  profitable  to  the  salvation  of 
her  body  and  soul,  and  that  she  ought  to  agree,  for  if  she 
did  net,  she  would  expose  herself  to  great  dangers  both 
soul  and  body. 

Then  we,  the  said  Judges,  did  invite  the  said  Lord 
Archdeacon  to  proceed  with  charity  to  the  performance 


EXHORTATIONS  AND  ADMONITIONS  113 


of  the  said  monitions.  Obeying  our  order,  the  said 
Lord  Archdeacon  did  begin  to  instruct  the  said  Jeanne, 
by  shewing  her  a  great  number  of  things  contained  in 
a  schedule  whose  tenour  will  be  presently  transcribed.  He 
first  shewed  her  that  all  the  faithful  in  Christ  are  bound 
and  obliged  to  believe  the  Christian  Faith,  and  certain 
Articles  of  this  Faith  ;  and  he  did  warn  and  beseech  her, 
by  means  of  a  general  monition,  to  correct  and  amend 
both  herself  and  her  deeds  ;  he  reminded  her  that  this 
was  the  advice  of  the  venerable  Doctors  and  Masters  of 
consummate  experience  and  skill. 

To  this  general  monition,  Jeanne  replied  : 

“  Read  your  book  ”  [speaking  of  the  writing  which 
the  Lord  Archdeacon  held  in  his  hand],  “  read  your  book, 
then  I  will  answer.  I  rely  upon  God,  my  Creator,  for 
everything.  I  love  Him  with  all  my  heart.” 

Asked  if  she  had  anything  more  to  say  to  this  general 
monition,  she  replied  : 

“  I  rely  on  my  Judge  :  He  is  the  King  of  Heaven 
and  earth.” 

Afterwards  the  Lord  Archdeacon,  proceeding  to 
special  monitions,  did,  in  conformity  with  a  writing 
which  he  had  under  his  eyes,  speak  as  follows  : 

[Here  follows,  in  the  Original  Documents,  an  Exhort¬ 
ation  in  Six  Articles,  addressed  to  Jeanne  in  the  French 
language  by  the  Archdeacon,  on  her  submission  to  the 
Church,  her  dress,  her  Visions  and  Revelations.] 


Jeanne  replies  to  the  Six  Articles. 

On  the  1  st  and  2nd  Article,  she  said  : 

“  Thereupon  I  answer  to-day  as  I  have  done  before.” 
On  the  subject  of  the  Church  Militant,  she  said  : 

“  I  believe  indeed  in  the  Church  which  is  here  below  ; 
but  for  my  words  and  deeds,  as  I  have  said  elsewhere, 
I  rely  on  and  refer  me  to  the  only  God.  I  believe 


1 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


”4 

that  the  Church  Militant  cannot  err  or  fail  ;  but  as 
to  my  words  and  deeds,  I  submit  them  and  refer  all 
to  God,  Who  caused  me  to  do  what  I  have  done.  I 
submit  me  to  God,  my  Creator,  Who  caused  me  to  do 
all  these  things  ;  I  refer  me  to  God  thereupon  and  to  my 
own  self.” 

“  Do  you  mean  by  this  to  say  that  you  have  no  judge 
on  earth  ?  Is  not  our  Holy  Father,  the  Pope,  your 
judge  ?  ” 

“  I  will  say  nothing  else  to  you.  I  have  a  good 
Master,  that  is  God  ;  it  is  to  Him  I  look  in  everything 
and  to  none  other.” 

“  If  you  will  not  believe  in  the  Church,  if  you  will  not 
believe  that  Article  of  the  Creed,  ‘  the  Church,  One, 
Holy,  Catholic,’  you  will  be  declared  a  heretic  and,  by 
other  judges,  punished  with  the  pains  of  fire.” 

“  I  will  say  no  more  to  you,  and,  if  I  saw  the  fire, 
I  should  say  all  that  I  am  saying  to  you,  and  naught 
else.”  1 

“If  a  General  Council — that  is  to  say,  our  Holy 
Father  the  Pope,  the  Cardinals,  Bishops  and  others — 
were  here,  would  you  not  then  refer  and  submit  yourself 
to  this  Holy  Council  ?  ” 

“  You  shall  drag  nothing  else  from  me  upon  this.” 

“  Will  you  submit  to  our  Holy  Father  the  Pope  ?  ” 

“Take  me  to  him,  I  will  reply  to  him.”  [She  would 
answer  no  more.] 

On  the  subject  of  the  3rd  Article,  she  replied  : 

“As  to  my  garments,  I  will  indeed  take  a  long  dress 
and  a  woman’s  hood  to  go  to  Church  and  to  receive 
there  the  Sacrament  of  the  Eucharist — as  I  said  else¬ 
where — provided  that,  directly  after,  I  may  put  off 
that  dress  and  take  again  what  I  bear  at  this  moment.” 

And  when  it  was  suggested  to  her  that  she  had  taken 
thisMress  without  necessity,  especially  while  in  prison, 

1  In  the  margin  is  written  “  Superba  responsio 


EXHORTATIONS  AND  ADMONITIONS  1 1 5 


she  said  :]  “  When  I  have  done  that  for  which  I  am  sent 
by  God,  I  will  resume  woman’s  dress.” 

“  Do  you  think  you  do  well  to  wear  a  man’s  dress  ?  ” 

“  I  refer  me  to  Our  Lord.” 

“  Will  you  leave  off  wearing  this  dress  and  the  believing 
that  you  do  right  in  wearing  it  ?  Will  you  resume  a 
woman’s  dress  ?  ” 

“  I  will  do  nothing  different.” 

On  the  subject  of  the  4th  Article  she  replied  : 

“  I  have  blasphemed  neither  God  nor  His  Saints.” 

“  When  Saint  Catherine  and  Saint  Margaret  came  to 
you,  did  you  make  the  sign  of  the  Cross  ?  ” 

“  Sometimes  I  made  it,  sometimes  not.” 

On  the  subject  of  the  5th  Article  she  answered  : 

“As  to  my  revelations,  I  refer  me  to  my  Judge — that 
is  to  say,  to  God.  My  revelations  came  to  me  from 
God  direct.” 

“  On  the  subject  of  the  sign  given  to  your  King,  will 
you  refer  to  the  Archbishop  of  Rheims,  to  the  Sire  de 
Boussac,1  to  Charles  de  Bourbon,  to  the  Seigneur  de  la 
Trémouille,  and  to  Etienne,  called  La  Hire,  to  whom 
or  to  some  of  whom  you  say  that  you  shewed  the  crown, 
these  being  present  when  the  Angel  brought  it  to  the 
King,  who  afterwards  gave  it  to  the  Archbishop  ?  or 
will  you  consent  to  refer  to  some  of  your  party  who  may 
write  under  their  seal  about  it  ?  ” 

“  Give  me  a  messenger  and  I  will  write  to  them  about 
this  Trial.”  [She  would  not  believe  in,  or  refer  other¬ 
wise  to  them.] 

On  the  subject  of  the  6th  Article,  she  answered  : 

“  I  refer  to  my  Judge — that  is  to  say,  to  Our  Lord — 
and  to  what  I  have  before  answered,  which  is  written  in 
the  book.” 

“  If  three  or  four  Clergy  of  your  party  are  sent  to  you, 

1  Jean  de  la  Brosse,  Marshal  of  France,  called  occasionally  Marshal  de 
Boussac  and  de  Saint  Sevère,  being  lord  of  both  these  territories. 


I  2 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


1 16 

coming  under  a  safe  conduct,  will  you  refer  yourself  to 
them  on  the  subject  of  your  apparitions  and  of  all  that 
is  contained  in  your  trial  ?  ” 

“  Let  them  come  ;  I  will  answer.”  [She  would  not  refer 
nor  otherwise  submit  to  them  on  the  subject  of  the  trial.] 
“  Will  you  refer  or  submit  yourself  to  the  Church  of 
Poitiers,  where  you  were  examined  ?  ” 

“  Do  you  think  you  will  take  me  in  that  way,  and 
draw  me  to  you  by  it  ?  ” 

Afterwards,  to  conclude,  she  was  anew  and  in  full, 
generally  warned  by  the  Lord  Archdeacon  to  submit  to 
the  Church  under  pain  of  being  abandoned  by  the 
Church.  He  said,  and  repeated  to  her,  that,  if  the 
Church  abandoned  her,  she  would  be  in  great  peril  both 
of  body  and  soul,  and  would  fall  into  danger  of  the 
pains  of  eternal  fire  as  to  her  soul  and,  by  sentence  of 
other  Judges,  into  danger  of  temporal  fire  for  her  body. 
To  which  she  answered  : 

“  You  will  not  do  what  you  say  against  me  without 
evil  overtaking  you,  body  and  soul  !  ” 

“  Tell  us  a  reason,  one  only,  why  you  should  refuse  to 
refer  yourself  to  the  Church.” 

[But  she  would  make  Us  no  other  answer.] 

Afterwards,  many  Doctors  and  competent  people  of 
divers  estates  and  faculties,  set  themselves  to  admonish 
and  to  counsel  her  with  gentleness.  They  exhorted  her 
to  submit  to  the  Church  Universal,  to  our  Holy  Father 
the  Pope,  and  to  the  Sacred  General  Council.  They 
explained  to  her  the  peril  to  which  she  exposed  both 
soul  and  body  in  refusing  to  submit  herself  and  her  deeds 
to  the  judgment  of  the  Church  Militant. 

[She  answered  as  before.] 

And  then  We,  the  Bishop,  told  Jeanne  to  think  well 
over  it,  to  take  good  heed  to  the  monitions,  counsels, 
and  exhortations  which  had  just  been  made  to  her,  and 
to  reflect  on  them  most  seriously. 


EXHORTATIONS  AND  ADMONITIONS  117 


Jeanne  expressed  herself  thus  : 

“  What  time  will  you  give  me  to  think  over  it  ?  ” 

We  told  her  that  she  could  think  over  it  at  once,  and 
answer  as  she  wished.  But,  as  she  would  reply  no  more, 
we  retired,  and  Jeanne  was  conducted  back  to  prison. 


Wednesday,  May  qth,  We,  the  Judges,  being  in  the 
great  Tower  of  the  Castle  of  Rouen,  assisted  by  the 
reverend  Fathers,  Doctors  and  Masters  whose  names 
follow  :  the  Reverend  Father  Abbot  of  Corneille  de 
Compïègne,  Jean  de  Chatillon ,  Guillaume  Erard,  André 
Marguerie ,  Nicolas  de  Venderès,  Guillaume  Haiton , 
Aubert  Morel,  Nicolas  Loyseleur,  Jean  Massieu  :  did 
cause  Jeanne  to  be  brought  before  us. 

We  did  require  and  warn  her  : 

To  speak  the  truth  to  Us  on  divers  and  numerous 
points  on  which  she  hath  hitherto  refused  to  reply  or 
hath  replied  untruthfully,  the  which  are  established  in 
the  highest  degree  by  informations,  proofs,  and  grave 
presumptions.  A  great  number  of  these  points  were 
read  and  shewn  to  her.  Then  she  was  told  that,  if  she 
would  not  tell  the  truth,  she  would  immediately  be  put 
to  the  torture,  the  instruments  of  which  were  here,  in 
this  same  tower,  under  her  eyes.  There  also  were 
present  the  executioners,  who  by  Our  order  had  made  all 
the  necessary  preparations  for  torturing  her,  in  order  to 
bring  her  back  by  this  means  into  the  way  and  know¬ 
ledge  of  the  truth,  and  thus  to  procure  for  her  sal¬ 
vation  both  of  body  and  soul,  which  she  doth  expose 
to  such  grave  peril  by  her  lying  inventions. 

To  which  Jeanne  replied  in  this  manner  : 

“Truly  if  you  were  to  tear  me  limb  from  limb,  and 
separate  soul  and  body,  I  will  tell  you  nothing  more  ; 
and,  if  I  were  to  say  anything  else,  I  should  always  after¬ 
wards  declare  that  you  made  me  say  it  by  force.  Last 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


1 1 8 

Thursday 1  I  received  comfort  from  Saint  Gabriel  ;  I 
believe  it  was  Saint  Gabriel  :  I  knew  by  my  Voices 
it  was  he.  I  asked  counsel  of  my  Voices  if  I  ought  to 
submit  to  the  Church,  because  the  Clergy  were  pressing 
me  hard  to  submit,  and  they  said  to  me:  ‘  If  thou 
wiliest  that  God  should  come  to  thy  help,  wait  on  Him 
for  all  thy  doings.’  I  know  that  Our  Lord  hath  always 
been  the  Master  of  all  my  doings,  and  that  the  Devil 
hath  never  had  power  over  them.  I  asked  of  my  Voices 
if  I  should  be  burned,  and  my  Voices  answered  me  : 

‘  Wait  on  Our  Lord,  He  will  help  thee.’  ” 

“  On  the  subject  of  the  crown  which  you  say  was 
given  to  the  Archbishop  of  Rheims,  will  you  defer 
to  him  ?  ” 

“  Make  him  come  here,  and  I  will  hear  him  speak,  and 
then  I  will  answer  you.  Nevertheless,  he  dare  not  say 
the  contrary  to  what  I  have  said  thereon.” 

Seeing  the  hardness  of  her  heart,  and  her  manner  of 
replying,  We,  the  Judges,  fearing  that  the  punishment  of 
the  torture  would  profit  her  little,  decided  that  it  was 
expedient  to  delay  it,  at  least  for  the  present,  and  until 
We  have  had  thereupon  more  complete  advice. 


Saturday,  May  12 th,  in  the  abode  of  Us,  the  Bishop ,2 
We,  the  Judges,  having  taken  our  seats,  assisted  by  the 
venerable  Doctors  and  Masters  whose  names  follow  : — 
Raoul  Rous  sell,  Nicolas  de  Venderes,  André  Marguerie , 
Guillaume  Erard ,  Robert  Barbier,  Denis  Gastinel,  Jean 
Ledoux,  Aubert  Morel,  Thomas  de  Courcelles,  Nicolas 
Coppequesne,  Nicolas  Loyseleur,  Brother  Y sambard  de  la 
Pierre. 

We,  the  Bishop,  did  make  known  to  the  Assessors 
what  had  taken  place  on  the  previous  Wednesday,  and 

1  The  Day  of  the  Holy  Cross,  May  3rd. 

2  The  Minute  adds  :  “  in  the  evening.” 


EXHORTATIONS  AND  ADMONITIONS  119 


ask  their  counsel  on  what  should  be  now  done  ;  We  did 
in  particular  consult  them  on  the  question  of  submitting 
Jeanne  to  the  torture. 

[Here  follow  the  deliberations  of  the  fourteen  Assessors 
consulted,  only  two  of  whom,  Aubert  Morel  and  Thomas 
de  Courcelles,  recommended  recourse  to  the  torture. 
Nicolas  Loyseleur  considered  it  “a  salutary  medicine  for 
her  soul,”  but  nevertheless  agreed  that  it  should  not  be 
adopted.] 

We,  the  Judges,  after  having  gathered  the  opinion  of 
each,  taking  into  consideration  the  answers  made  by 
Jeanne  at  the  Sitting  on  Wednesday  last,  taking  into 
consideration  also  the  disposition  of  her  mind,  her  will 
so  energetically  manifested,  and  all  the  other  circum¬ 
stances  of  the  Case,  decide  that  it  is  neither  profitable 
nor  expedient  to  submit  her  to  the  torture  ;  and  for  the 
rest,  We  will  proceed  later. 

[The  Twelve  Articles  of  the  Indictment,  or  Accusation, 
were  sent  to  the  University  of  Paris,  for  their  considera¬ 
tion  and  report,  by  the  hands  of  Maîtres  Jean  Beau- 
père,  Nicolas  Midi,  Jacques  de  Touraine,  and  Gerard 
Feuillet,  who  left  Rouen  for  this  purpose  on  April  19th. 
On  April  29th,  the  University  was  solemnly  convoked 
at  Saint-Bernard  to  consider  the  question  ;  on  May  14th, 
the  deliberation  of  the  Faculty  of  Theology  and  the 
Faculty  of  Decrees  was  submitted  to  all  the  Faculties, 
solemnly  assembled  for  that  purpose,  and  adopted  by 
the  University  as  its  own.  Letters  from  the  University 
of  Paris  were  sent  to  the  Bishop  of  Beauvais  and  to 
King  Henry  VI.  on  the  same  day,  by  the  messengers 
then  returning  to  Rouen.] 


The  Bishop  communicates  the  Resolutions  of  the  Uni¬ 
versity  of  Paris  \approving  of  the  Twelve  Articles\  and 
asks  the  advice  of  all  the  Doctors  present. 


120 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


Saturday ,  May  r  gtk,  in  the  Chapel  of  the  Archiépis¬ 
copal  Manor  of  Rouen. — Present:  the  Judges ,  assisted 
by  51  Assessors. 

In  presence  of  the  above  named,  We,  the  Bishop, 
said  : 

For  a  long  time,  We  have  been  receiving  a  very  con¬ 
siderable  number  of  Resolutions  and  opinions,  coming 
from  notable  Doctors  and  Masters,  on  the  subject  of  the 
assertions  made  and  confessed  by  Jeanne.  We  might 
awhile  since  have  proceeded  to  the  conclusion  of  the 
Process,  basing  Ourselves  on  these  Resolutions,  because 
these  Resolutions  were  assuredly  quite  sufficient.  But 
in  order  to  testify  all  honour  and  all  respect  towards 
our  Mother,  the  University  of  Paris  ;  to  have  on  the 
matter  a  more  full  and  complete  elucidation  ;  to  give  to 
consciences  more  guarantee  and  surety  :  We  did  decide 
to  send  the  assertions  in  question  to  Our  Mother  the 
University  of  Paris,  and  principally  to  the  Faculties  of 
Theology  and  of  Decrees  ;  and  to  beseech  the  delibera¬ 
tion  of  the  Doctors  and  Masters  of  the  said  University, 
principally  of  the  said  two  Faculties  of  Theology  and 
Decrees.  The  University — in  particular,  the  said  two 
Faculties — being  ardently  enflamed  with  zeal  for  the 
Faith — have  maturely  and  solemnly  given  their  opinion 
upon  each  of  the  assertions,  and  have  sent  them  to  Us 
in  the  form  of  a  Public  Instrument. 

This  statement  ended,  We  gave  orders  that  the  Reso¬ 
lutions  contained  in  the  said  Instrument  should  be  read. 

Afterwards,  upon  the  reading  of  the  Resolutions  of 
the  said  two  Faculties  and  the  said  University,  each  of 
the  Doctors  and  Masters  present  did  give  and  explain 
his  opinion  :  and  this,  in  addition  to  the  opinion  already 
given  for  the  most  part  in  the  deliberations  reported 
above. 

The  opinion  of  all  is  in  conformity  with  the  Resolutions 


FINAL  SESSION.  RECANTATION 


I  2  I 


of  the  University  and  of  the  two  Faculties  ;  and  it  doth 
bear  not  only  on  the  qualifications  to  be  given  to  the 
assertions  comprised  in  the  Twelve  Articles,  but  also 
on  the  manner  of  proceeding  which  shall  be  followed 
finally. 

Here  follow  the  deliberations  of  the  Doctors  and 
Masters;  [agreeing  with  the  Resolutions  of  the  Uni¬ 
versity,  and  advising  that  Jeanne  should  be  again 
charitably  admonished  and  warned  before  a  final 
sentence  be  pronounced.] 

For  all  which,  We,  the  Judges,  thanked  the  reverend 
Fathers,  Lords,  and  Masters. 

We  decided  that  Jeanne  should  be  again  warned  to 
return  into  the  way  of  truth  and  salvation  of  soul  and 
body. 

Besides,  and  in  accordance  with  the  excellent  delibera¬ 
tions  which  had  just  taken  place,  and  with  the  counsels 
full  of  sense  just  enunciated,  We  decided  that  We  will, 
after  this  last  monition,  pronounce  the  closing  of  the 
Process  and  give  a  day  for  the  announcement  of  the 
sentence. 


FINAL  SESSION  AND  SENTENCE. 
RECANTATION. 

Wednesday ,  May  23rd,  We,  the  Judges,  assisted  by  the 
reverend  Fathers  and  Lords  the  Bishops  of  Thérouenne 
and  de  Noyon  ;  and  the  Doctors  and  Masters  Jean  de 
Ckâtillon,  Jean  Beaupere,  Nicolas  Midi,  Guillaume 
Erard,  Pierre  Maurice,  André  Marguerie  and  Nicolas 
de  V enderès,  seated  ourselves  in  tribunal  in  a  room  in  the 
Castle  of  Rouen,  situated  near  the  place  which  serves 
Jeanne  as  prison. 

We  did  cause  the  said  Jeanne  to  be  brought  before  Us, 
because  We  judged  it  profitable  to  shew  her  the  points 
on  which  the  Faculties  of  Theology  and  Decrees  of  the 


I  22 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


University  of  Paris  have  declared  that  she  hath  erred 
and  fallen  short  ;  We  have  judged  it  profitable  also  to 
make  known  to  her  the  omissions,  crimes  and  errors 
which,  in  the  terms  of  the  Resolutions  of  each  of  these 
Faculties,  exist  on  each  of  these  same  points  ;  and  after¬ 
wards,  to  warn  her,  or  cause  her  to  be  warned,  to  abandon 
these  errors  and  shortcomings  :  to  correct  and  submit 
herself,  in  fine,  to  the  censure  and  judgment  of  Our  Holy 
Mother  the  Church. 

Maître  Pierre  Maurice,  Canon  of  the  Church  of 
Rouen,  a  celebrated  Doctor  in  Theology,  hath  been 
charged  by  us  with  this  mission,  and  he  hath  fulfilled  it 
by  addressing  to  Jeanne  the  words  written  by  him  in 
French  in  a  schedule  thus  expressed. 

[Here  follows  a  recapitulation  of  the  Twelve  Articles, 
with  the  opinion,  adverse  to  Jeanne,  given  upon  them  by 
the  Clerics  consulted.] 

After  these  assertions  had  been  thus  shewn  to  her, 
and  the  decision  of  the  University  of  Paris  upon  each 
of  them  had  been  made  known  to  her,  Jeanne  was 
admonished,  in  the  French  language,  by  the  said  Doctor 
Pierre  Maurice  to  pay  great  attention  to  the  character 
given  to  her  sayings  and  deeds  by  this  decision  of  the 
University  of  Paris.  Above  all  he  did  exhort  her  to 
reflect  well  on  the  gravity  of  the  error  contained  in  her 
refusal  to  submit  to  the  Church  Militant. 

And  he  concluded  by  thus  speaking  to  her  : 

“Jeanne,  my  very  dear  friend,  it  is  now  time,  at  the 
end  of  your  Trial,  to  reflect  well  on  all  that  has  been 
said  to  you.  This  is  the  fourth  time1  that  the  Lord 
Bishop  of  Beauvais,  the  Lord  Vicar  of  the  Inquisition, 
and  other  Doctors  who  have  been  thereto  appointed, 
have,  either  in  public  or  in  private,  in  honour  and 
reverence  for  God,  for  the  Faith,  and  the  Law  of  Jesus 

1  April  1 8th,  May  2nd,  19th,  and  23rd. 


FINAL  SESSION.  RECANTATION  123 

Christ,  for  the  tranquillity  of  their  own  consciences  and 
for  the  alleviation  of  so  great  a  scandal,  admonished  you 
with  the  greatest  zeal — so  great  is  their  care  for  the 
salvation  of  your  soul  and  body  !  Four  times  have  been 
made  known  to  you  the  perils  which  endanger  your  soul 
and  body,  if  you  do  not  at  last  consent  to  correct  your¬ 
self  and  your  sayings  by  submitting  to  the  Church,  your¬ 
self  and  your  deeds,  and  by  accepting  her  judgment. 

“  Up  to  this  time  you  have  obstinately  refused.  And 
although  many  others  might  long  since  have  declared 
the  Case  heard  and  have  given  judgment  upon  you, 
nevertheless  my  Lords  your  Judges,  enflamed  with  zeal 
for  the  salvation  of  your  soul  and  body,  desired,  in  order 
to  have  their  advice,  to  send  your  sayings  and  deeds  to 
the  University,  that  light  of  all  Science,  that  extirpator 
of  all  error.  The  resolutions  of  the  University  of  Paris 
have  come  to  your  Judges.  They  have  then  decided, 
always  in  the  hope  of  your  salvation,  to  admonish  you 
once  again,  to  again  call  your  attention  to  your  errors, 
your  scandals  and  all  the  faults  that  you  have  committed 
in  such  great  number. 

“They  exhort  you,  your  Judges,  they  beseech  you, 
they  admonish  you  by  the  bowels  of  Our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  Who  hath  suffered  a  cruel  death  for  the  redemp¬ 
tion  of  man,  they  beseech  you  to  correct  your  wrords,  to 
submit  them  to  the  judgment  of  the  Church,  as  all  the 
faithful  are  bound  and  obliged  to  do.  Do  not  allow 
yourself  to  be  separated  from  Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
Who  hath  created  you  to  be  a  sharer  in  His  glory  ;  do 
not  choose  the  way  of  eternal  damnation  with  the 
enemies  of  God,  who  daily  set  their  wits  to  work  to  find 
means  to  trouble  mankind,  transforming  themselves 
often,  to  this  end,  into  the  likeness  of  Our  Lord,  of 
Angels  and  of  Saints,  as  is  seen  but  too  often  in  the 
lives  of  the  Fathers  and  in  the  Scriptures. 

“  Therefore,  if  such  things  have  appeared  to  you,  do 


124 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


not  believe  them.  The  belief  which  you  may  have  had 
in  such  illusions,  put  it  away  from  you.  Believe  rather 
in  the  words  and  opinions  of  the  University  of  Paris  and 
other  Doctors,  who,  knowing  the  law  of  God  and  Holy 
Scripture,  decide  that  no  faith  should  be  placed  in  such 
apparitions,  nor  should  faith  be  placed  in  any  extraordi¬ 
nary  apparitions,  in  any  novelty  which  is  not  supported 
by  Holy  Scripture,  by  a  sign,  or  by  a  miracle. 

“You  have  very  lightly  believed  in  such  things,  you 
who  have  not  turned  to  God  in  earnest  prayer  that  He 
would  grant  you  certainty  ;  you  who,  to  enlighten  your¬ 
self,  have  not  applied  to  a  prelate  or  a  learned 
ecclesiastic.  This  you  ought  to  have  done  :  it  was  your 
duty,  considering  your  estate  and  the  simplicity  of  your 
knowledge. 

“  Let  us  take  an  example  :  If  your  King  had  given 
you  a  treasure  to  guard,  forbidding  you  to  receive 
any  one,  whoever  it  might  be,  should  you  not 
refuse  to  receive  one  who  presented  himself  to  you, 
saying  he  came  by  order  of  the  King,  unless  he  brought 
you  a  letter  or  some  certain  sign  ?  For  the  Church 
it  is  the  same  thing  :  when  Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
ascending  into  Heaven,  confided  the  government  of 
His  Church  to  the  blessed  Apostle  Peter  and  his 
successors,  He  forbade  us  to  accept  anything  from 
others  who  might  come  in  His  Name,  who  should 
have  for  the  support  of  their  mission  only  their  own 
sayings.  You  ought  not  to  have  put  faith  in  those 
whom  you  say  came  to  you  ;  and  we  also,  we  ought 
not  to  believe  in  you,  since  Our  Lord  hath  expressly 
commanded  the  contrary. 

“  Reflect,  Jeanne,  upon  this  :  if,  when  you  were  in  your 
King’s  realm,  a  soldier  or  another,  born  in  his  kingdom 
and  placed  under  his  dominion,  had  suddenly  risen  and 
said,  ‘  I  will  not  obey  the  King,  I  will  not  submit  either 
to  him  or  his  officers,’  would  you  not  have  said  yourself 


FINAL  SESSION.  RECANTATION 


I25 


that  this  man  should  be  condemned  ?  But  what  will 
you  say  of  yourself,  you,  brought  up  in  the  Faith  of 
Christ,  if  you  do  not  obey  the  officers  of  Christ — -that 
is  to  say,  the  Prelates  of  the  Church  ?  What  judg¬ 
ment  will  you  give  on  yourself?  Cease,  therefore,  to 
hold  this  damnable  speech,  if  you  love  God,  your 
Creator,  your  Spouse,  and  your  Salvation  :  obey  the 
Church,  consent  to  submit  to  its  judgment  ;  know  well 
that,  if  you  do  not,  if  you  persevere  in  your  error, 
your  soul  will  be  condemned  to  eternal  punishment  ; 
and,  for  your  body,  I  fear  much  that  it  will  come  to 
perdition.  [ Anima  vestra  damnabitur  supplicio  perpetuo 
crucianda ,  et  de  corpore  plurimum  dubito  ne  in  perdi- 
tionem  veniat. ] 

“  Let  not  fear  of  the  world  hold  you  back  ;  do  not  give 
way  to  the  fear  of  losing,  by  doing  as  I  ask  you,  the  great 
honours  you  have  received.  The  honour  of  God  and 
the  salvation  of  your  body  and  soul  must  be  preferred 
before  all.  All  is  perishable,  save  only  what  I  tell  you 
to  do.  If  you  do  it  not,  you  separate  yourself  from  the 
Church  and  from  the  Faith  to  which  you  have  sworn  in 
Holy  Baptism  ;  you  detach  yourself  from  the  authority 
of  the  Church,  from  the  Church  which  is  led,  ruled,  and 
governed  by  the  authority  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  Did 
not  God  say  to  the  chiefs  of  the  Church  :  'He  that 
heareth  you  heareth  Me,  he  that  despiseth  you  despiseth 
Me’?  If  you  will  not  submit  to  the  Church,  you 
separate  yourself  in  deed,  and  you  refuse  at  the  same 
time  to  submit  yourself  to  God  ;  you  are  in  error 
on  this  article  of  the  Faith,  ‘  the  Church,  One,  Holy, 
and  Catholic.’  What  this  Church  and  her  authority 
is,  hath  been  sufficiently  explained  to  you  in  former 
monitions. 

“  Thus  have  my  Lords  the  Bishop  of  Beauvais  and 
the  Vicar  of  the  Inquisition,  your  Judges,  charged  me  to 
tell  you. 


126 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


“And  now,  I  admonish,  I  beseech,  I  exhort  you,  in 
the  name  of  your  devotion  to  the  Passion  of  your 
Creator,  and  of  the  affection  you  should  bear  to 
the  salvation  of  your  body  and  soul,  I  admonish,  I 
beseech  you,  amend  yourself,  return  into  the  way  of 
truth,  obey  the  Church,  submit  to  her  judgment  and 
decision. 

“In  thus  acting  you  will  save  your  soul  ;  you  will 
redeem — so  I  believe — your  body  from  death.  But  if 
you  do  not,  if  you  persist,  know  that  your  soul  will 
be  overwhelmed  by  damnation,  and  I  fear  for  the 
destruction  of  your  body. 

“  May  Our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ  preserve  you  from 
all  these  evils  !  ” 

After  being  thus  admonished  and  exhorted,  Jeanne 
did  reply  : 

“  As  to  my  words  and  deeds,  such  as  I  have  declared 
them  in  the  Trial,  I  refer  to  them  and  will  maintain 
them.” 

“Do  you  not,  then,”  We  asked  her,  “think  yourself 
bound  to  submit  your  words  and  deeds  to  the  Church 
Militant,  or  to  any  other  but  God  ?” 

She  replied  :  “  What  I  have  always  said  in  the  Trial, 
and  held,  I  wish  still  to  say  and  maintain.  If  I  were 
condemned,  if  I  saw  the  fire  lighted,  the  faggots 
prepared,  and  the  executioner  ready  to  kindle  the  fire, 
and  if  I  myself  were  in  the  fire,  I  would  not  say 
otherwise,  and  would  maintain  to  the  death  all  I  have 
said.”  1 

Then,  We,  the  Judges,  asked  of  the  Promoter  and  of 
Jeanne  herself  if  they  had  anything  else  to  say.  They 
replied,  No.  In  consequence,  We  did  proceed  to  close 
the  Process,  following  the  formula  contained  in  a  schedule 

1  Against  this  passage  is  written,  on  the  margin  of  the  original  MS.  note 
in  the  hand  of  the  Registrar  Manchon,  ‘  Responsio  Johannæ  superba .’ 


FINAL  SESSION.  RECANTATION 


127 

which  We,  the  Bishop,  held  in  Our  hands,  and  which 
was  thus  expressed  : 

We,  the  Judges,  competent  in  this  Process,  declare 
anew  our  competence  in  so  far  as  is  necessary  ; 

Considering  the  declaration  just  made  by  the  Pro¬ 
moter  and  the  Accused  that  they  have  no  more  to  say  ; 

We  declare  the  Process  concluded  ; 1  and,  this  con¬ 
clusion  pronounced,  We  summon  you  both  to-morrow 
to  hear  the  law  which  will  be  laid  down  by  Us,  and  the 
sentence  which  shall  be  pronounced  by  Us,  to  be  after¬ 
wards  carried  out  and  proceeded  with  according  to  law 
and  right. 


On  Thursday  after  Whitsuntide ,  the  24 th  day  of  May 
in  the  morning ,  We,  the  Judges,  did  repair  to  a  solemn 
Assembly,  publicly  held  in  the  Cemetery  of  the  Abbey 
of  Saint-Ouen,  at  Rouen.2  We  did  have  with  us  : — 
The  most  reverend  Father  in  Christ ,  Henry ,  by  Divine 
Permission  Priest  of  the  Holy  Roman  Church,  under  the 
title  of  Saint  Eusebius,  usually  called  the  Cardinal  of 
England  ;  the  reverend  Fathers  in  Christ ,  the  Lords 
Bishops  of  Thérouenne ,  Noyon,  and  Norwich  ;  the  Lords 
Abbot  of  Saint  Trinité  de  Fécamp,  of  Saint  Ouen  of 
Rouen,  of  fumièges,  Bec,  Cormeilles ,  Saint-Michel  au  Peril- 
de-la-Mer,  Mortemer,  and  Preaux  ;  the  Priors  of  Longue¬ 
ville- la- Gijfard,  and  Saint  Lo  of  Rouen;  and  many 
others. 

Jeanne  was  placed  opposite  to  Us  on  a  scaffold  or 
platform  prepared  for  this  purpose. 

1  Iti  ipsâ  Causd  concludimus. 

2  In  the  Square  of  Saint-Ouen  were  two  platforms  on  each  side  of  the 
south  door  of  the  Church  :  Jeanne  and  Maître  Érard,  the  preacher,  occupied 
one  ;  the  Bishop  of  Beauvais,  together  with  a  great  number  of  Assessors, 
filled  the  other.  In  those  days,  and  up  to  comparatively  recent  times,  a 
cemetery  occupied  this  site,  which  is  now  a  garden.  There  was  ample 
space  for  a  large  crowd  to  collect  on  the  gently  sloping  ground  facing  the 
south  door. 


128 


JEANNE  D’ARC 

First  of  all,  We  did  charge  Maître  Guillaume  Érard, 
Doctor  in  Theology,  a  preacher  of  great  renown,  to 
pronounce  a  solemn  sermon  for  the  salutary  admonition 
of  Jeanne  and  the  great  crowd  which  surrounded  us. 

This  Doctor  began  by  taking  for  text  that  Word  of 
God  in  St.  John,  Chapter  xv.,  “A  branch  cannot  bear 
fruit  of  itself  except  it  abide  in  the  vine.”  Then  he 
explained  solemnly  that  all  Catholics  should  abide  in  the 
true  vine  of  the  Holy  Mother  Church  which  Christ  had 
planted  :  he  shewed  how  Jeanne,  by  many  errors  and 
grave  crimes,  had  separated  herself  from  Holy  Mother 
Church,  to  the  great  scandal  of  Christian  people. 
Finally,  he  admonished  and  exhorted  her  and  all  the 
people  by  the  most  edifying  teaching. 

In  concluding,  he  spoke  to  her  in  these  terms  : 

“Jeanne,  behold  my  Lords  your  Judges,  who,  at 
divers  times,  have  summoned  and  required  you  to 
submit  yourself,  your  words  and  deeds,  to  Our  Holy 
Church,  shewing  you  that  there  doth  exist  in  your 
words  and  deeds  many  things  which,  as  it  doth  seem  to 
the  Clergy,  are  not  good  either  to  say  or  maintain.” 

To  which  Jeanne  replied  : 

“  I  will  answer  you.  As  to  my  submission  to  the 
Church,  I  have  answered  the  Clergy  on  this  point.  I 
have  answered  them  also  on  the  subject  of  all  the  things 
I  have  said  and  done.  Let  them  be  sent  to  Rome  to 
our  Holy  Father  the  Pope,  to  whom  after  God  I  refer 
me  as  to  my  words  and  deeds  :  I  did  them  by  God’s  order  ; 

I  charge  no  one  with  them,  neither  my  King  nor  any  one 
else.  If  there  be  any  fault  found  in  them,  the  blame  is 
on  me,  and  no  one  else.” 

“  Will  you  revoke  all  your  words  and  deeds  which  are 
disapproved  by  the  Clergy  ?  ” 

“  I  refer  me  to  God  and  to  our  Holy  Father  the 
Pope.” 

Then  she  was  told  that  this  answer  would  not  suffice  ; 


SOU  l  H  DOOR  OF  ST.  OUEN  AT  ROUEN. 


' 


THE  SENTENCE 


129 


that  it  was  not  possible  to  send  to  seek  the  Pope  from 
such  a  distance  ;  that  the  Ordinaries  are  Judges,  each  in 
their  own  diocese  ;  that  it  was  necessary  she  should  refer 
to  our  Holy  Mother  the  Church  ;  and  that  she  should 
hold  as  true  all  that  the  Clergy  and  other  people 
cognizant  thereof  have  said  and  decided  on  the  subject 
of  her  words  and  deeds. 

She  was  admonished  on  this  to  the  third  monition. 

But  as  this  woman  would  say  no  more,  We,  the 
Bishop,  did  then  begin  the  reading  of  Our  sentence  as 
follows  : 


THE  SENTENCE 

In  the  Name  of  the  Lord,  Amen. 

All  the  pastors  of  the  Church  who  have  it  in  their 
hearts  to  watch  faithfully  over  their  flock,  should,  when 
the  perfidious  Sower  of  Errors  works  by  his  machina¬ 
tions  and  deceits  to  infest  the  Flock  of  Christ,  strive 
with  great  care  to  resist  his  pernicious  efforts  with  the 
greatest  vigilance  and  the  most  lively  solicitude,  and 
above  all  in  these  perilous  times,  when  so  many 
false  prophets  are  come  into  the  world  with  their  sects 
of  error  and  perdition,  according  to  the  prediction 
thereof  made  by  the  Apostle.  Their  diverse  and 
strange  doctrines  might  cause  the  faithful  in  Christ  to 
stray,  if  Holy  Mother  Church,  with  the  aid  of  whole¬ 
some  doctrine  and  canonical  sanction,  did  not  study 
with  great  zeal  to  refute  their  inventions  and  errors. 

Therefore,  because  that  before  Us,  Pierre  by  the 
Divine  Mercy  Bishop  of  Beauvais,  and  before  Us, 
Brother  Jean  Lemaître,  Deputy  in  this  City  and  Diocese 
for  Maître  Jean  Graverend,  renowned  Doctor  Inquisitor 
in  France  for  the  Evil  of  Heresy,  specially  appointed 
for  this  in  this  Case  ;  because,  before  Us,  competent 
Judges,  thou,  Jeanne,  commonly  called  the  Maid,  hast 

K 


i3o 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


been  indicted  and  cited  in  a  Case  of  Faith,  on  account 
of  thy  pernicious  errors  ;  after  having  seen  and 
examined  with  great  attention  the  whole  series  of  thy 
Trial  h  .  .  . 

Our  sentence  had  thus  been  already  read,  in  great 
part,  when  Jeanne  did  begin  to  speak  and  said  : 

“  I  will  hold2  all  that  the  Church  ordains,  all  that  you, 
the  Judges,  wish  to  say  and  decree — in  all  I  will  refer 
me  to  your  orders  !  ” 

Then  many  times  did  she  say  : 

“  Inasmuch  as  the  Clergy  decide  that  the  apparitions 
and  revelations  which  I  have  had  are  not  to  be  maintained 
or  believed,  I  will  not  believe  nor  maintain  them  ;  in  all 
I  refer  me  to  you  and  to  our  Holy  Mother  Church  !  ” 

Abjuration. 

Then,  in  the  presence  of  all  the  aforenamed,  in 
presence  of  an  immense  number  of  people  and  Clergy, 
she  did  make  and  utter  her  recantation  and  abjuration, 
following  a  formula  written  in  French,  which  was  read 
to  her  ;  a  formula  which  she  did  pronounce  herself,  and 
the  schedule  of  which  she  did  sign  with  her  own  hand, 
and  of  which  the  tenour  follows: 

“  All  who  have  erred  and  been  mistaken  in  the 
Christian  Faith  and,  by  the  grace  of  God,  have  since 
returned  into  the  light  of  truth  and  the  unity  of  Our 
Holy  Mother  Church,  should  well  guard  themselves  that 
the  Evil  One  doth  not  drive  them  back  and  cause  them 
to  relapse  into  error  and  damnation.  For  this  cause,  I, 
Jeanne,  commonly  called  the  Maid,  a  miserable  sinner, 

1  There  is  no  note  as  to  when  Jeanne  interrupted  the  Bishop.  The  Latin 
gives  no  hint.  It  is  probable  that,  during  the  reading  of  the  sentence, 
Êrard  and  Loiseleur  were  trying  to  induce  Jeanne  to  recant  and  sign  the 
schedule,  and  that  her  abjuration  was  the  result  of  their  endeavours,  not  of 
the  Bishop’s. 

2  The  Latin  reading  is,  “-Ante  fînem  sententiæ,  Johanna,  timens  ignem, 
dixit  se  velle  obedire  ecclesiæ.” 


THE  SENTENCE 


after  that  I  had  recognized  the  snares  of  error  in  the 
which  I  was  held,  and  [after]  that,  by  the  grace  of  God, 

I  had  returned  to  our  Holy  Mother  Church,  in  order 
that  it  may  be  seen  that,  not  feigningly  but  with  a  good 
heart  and  good  will,  I  have  returned  thereto  ;  I  confess 
that  I  have  most  grievously  sinned,  in  pretending  untruth¬ 
fully  to  have  had  revelations  and  apparitions  from  God, 
from  the  Angels,  and  Saint  Catherine  and  Saint 
Margaret;  in  seducing  others  ;  in  believing  foolishly  and 
lightly  ;  in  making  superstitious  divinations  ;  in  blas¬ 
pheming  God  and  His  Saints  ;  in  breaking  the  Divine 
Law,  Holy  Scripture,  and  the  lawful  Canons  ;  in  wearing 
a  dissolute  habit,  mis-shapen  and  immodest  and  against 
the  propriety  of  nature,  and  hair  clipped  *  en  ronde  ’  in 
the  style  of  a  man,  against  all  the  modesty  of  the 
feminine  sex  ;  also,  in  bearing  arms  in  great  presump¬ 
tion  ;  in  cruelly  desiring  the  effusion  of  human  blood  ; 
in  saying  that  all  these  things  I  did  by  the  command  of 
God,  the  Angels,  and  the  aforesaid  Saints,  and  that  in 
these  things  I  did  well  and  was  not  mistaken  ;  in 
despising  God  and  His  Sacraments  ;  in  making  sedi¬ 
tions  ;  and  in  being  idolatrous,  by  adoring  evil  spirits 
and  invoking  them.  I  confess  also  that  I  have  been 
schismatic  and  in  many  ways  have  erred  from  the  Faith. 
The  which  crimes  and  errors,  from  my  heart  and  with¬ 
out  lying,  I — by  the  grace  of  Our  Lord,  returned  into 
the  way  of  truth,  by  the  holy  doctrine  and  good  counsel 
of  you  and  the  Doctors  and  Masters  who  have  conveyed 
it  to  me — abjure  as  blasphemy  and  renounce  them 
all,  and  depart  therefrom.  And  upon  all  these  things 
aforesaid  I  submit  to  the  correction,  disposal,  amend¬ 
ment,  and  entire  decision  of  our  Holy  Mother  Church 
and  of  your  good  justice.  Also  I  swear  and  promise  to 
you,  to  my  Lord  Saint  Peter,  Prince  of  the  Apostles,  to 
our  Holy  Father  the  Pope  of  Rome,  his  Vicar,  and  his 
successors,  and  to  you,  my  Lords,  the  reverend  Father 


K  2 


132 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


in  God  my  Lord  the  Bishop  of  Beauvais,  the  religious 
person,  Brother  Jean  Lemaître,  Deputy  of  my  Lord  the 
Inquisitor  of  the  Faith,  as  my  Judges,  that  never,  by 
any  exhortation  or  other  manner,  will  I  return  to  the 
aforesaid  errors,  from  which  it  hath  pleased  Our  Lord  to 
deliver  and  take  me  ;  but  always  I  will  remain  in  union 
with  our  Holy  Mother  Church  and  in  the  obedience  of 
our  Holy  Father  the  Pope  of  Rome.  And  this  I  say, 
affirm,  and  swear,  by  God  Almighty  and  by  the  Holy 
Gospels. 

“  And  in  sign  of  this,  I  have  signed  this  schedule 
with  my  signature.  (Signed  thus)  :  Jehanne  +  .” 

After  her  revocation  and  her  abjuration  had  been,  as 
has  just  been  said,  received  by  us,  the  Judges,  We,  the 
Bishop,  did  finally  deliver  our  sentence  in  these  terms  : 

[The  sentence  then  follows  as  given  above  up  to  the 
words  “thy  Trial,”  and  then  proceeds  :] 

...  all  that  therein  occurred,  principally  thine  answers, 
thine  avowals,  and  thine  affirmations  ;  after  having  seen 
the  most  renowned  decision  of  the  faculties  of  Theology 
and  Decrees  of  the  University  of  Paris  ;  after  having  also 
seen  the  decision  of  the  entire  University  and  the  numer¬ 
ous  Resolutions  of  so  many  Prelates,  Doctors,  and  other 
Masters,  who  at  Rouen  or  elsewhere  have  sent  in  such 
great  numbers  their  assertions  as  to  thy  sayings  and  deeds  ; 
after  having  had,  upon  this,  advice  and  mature  deliber¬ 
ation  of  so  many  Doctors  zealous  for  the  Christian  Faith  ; 
after  having  weighed  and  considered  all  that  there  is  to 
weigh  and  consider  of  what  is  in  the  nature  of  enlighten¬ 
ment  ;  having  before  our  eyes  Christ  and  the  honour  of 
the  Orthodox  Faith,  so  that  our  judgment  may  emanate 
even  from  the  face  of  Our  Lord  :  we,  the  Judges,  say 
and  decree:  that  thou,  Jeanne,  hast  deeply  sinned 
in  pretending  untruthfully  that  thy  revelations  and  ap- 


THE  SENTENCE 


133 


paritions  are  of  God  ;  in  seducing  others  ;  in  believing 
lightly  and  rashly  ;  in  making  superstitious  divinations  ; 
in  blaspheming  God  and  the  Saints  ;  in  prevaricating  as 
to  the  law,  Holy  Scripture,  and  the  Canonical  sanctions  ; 
in  despising  God  in  His  Sacraments  ;  in  fomenting  sedi¬ 
tions  and  revolts  ;  in  apostatizing  ;  in  encouraging  the 
crime  of  heresy  ;  in  erring  on  numerous  points  in  the 
Catholic  Faith. 

But  because  that,  after  being  many  times  charitably 
admonished  and  long  waited  for,  thou  hast  at  last,  with 
the  help  of  God,  returned  into  the  bosom  of  the  Church, 
thy  Holy  Mother,  with  contrite  heart,  and  hast  openly 
revoked  thy  errors  ;  because,  having  solemnly  and 
publicly  cast  these  far  from  thee,  thou  hast  abjured  them- 
by  the  words  of  thine  own  mouth,  together  with  the 
heresy  with  which  thou  wast  charged  :  We  declare 
thee  set  free  by  these  presents,  according  to  the  form 
appointed  by  Ecclesiastical  sanction,  from  the  bonds  of 
excommunications  which  held  thee  enchained,  charging 
thee  to  return  to  the  Church  with  a  true  heart  and 
sincere  faith,  and  to  observe  what  hath  been  already 
enjoined  thee  and  what  shall  yet  be  enjoined  thee 
by  us. 

But  because  thou  hast  sinned  rashly  against  God  and 
Holy  Church,  We  condemn  thee,  finally,  definitely  and 
for  salutary  penance,  saving  Our  grace  and  moderation, 
to  perpetual  imprisonment,  with  the  bread  of  sorrow  and 
the  water  of  affliction,  in  order  that  thou  mayest  bewail 
thy  faults,  and  that  thou  mayest  no  more  commit  [acts] 
which  thou  shalt  have  to  bewail  hereafter. 


Exhortation  made  to  Jeanne  by  the  Deputy  Inquisitor , 
in  Prison. 

And  the  same  day,  Thursday,  May  24 th,  in  the  after¬ 
noon,  We,  Brother  Jean  Lemaître,  the  aforesaid  Deputy , 


134 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


assisted  by  the  Lords  and  Masters  N.  Midi ,  N.  Loyseleur, 
Thomas  de  Courcelles,  Brother  Ysambard  de  la  Pierre , 
and  several  others, 

We  did  repair  to  the  place  in  the  prison  where  Jeanne 
was  to  be  found. 

We,  and  the  persons  assisting  us,  did  set  forth  before 
her  how  God  had  on  this  day  had  mercy  on  her,  and  how 
the  Clergy  had  shewn  themselves  merciful  in  receiving 
her  to  the  Grace  and  pardon  of  Holy  Mother  Church. 
In  return,  it  was  right  that  she,  Jeanne,  should  obey  with 
humility  the  sentence  and  orders  of  the  Judges  and  the 
Ecclesiastics  ;  that  she  should  wholly  give  up  her  errors 
and  all  her  inventions,  never  to  return  to  them  :  because, 
in  case  she  should  return  to  them,  the  Church  could  no 
longer  admit  her  to  pardon,  and  must  abandon  her  alto¬ 
gether.  We  told  her  to  leave  off  her  man’s  dress  and  to 
take  a  woman’s  garments,  as  the  Church  had  ordered  her. 

In  all  our  observations  Jeanne  did  reply  that  she 
would  willingly  take  woman’s  garments,  and  that  in  all 
things  she  would  obey  the  Church. 

Woman’s  garments  having  been  offered  to  her,  she  at 
once  dressed  herself  in  them,  after  having  taken  off  the 
man’s  dress  she  was  wearing  ;  and  her  hair,  which  up  to 
this  time  had  been  cut  “  en  ronde”  above  her  ears,  she 
desired  and  permitted  them  to  shave  and  take  away. 

Here  ends  the  First  Part  of  the  Trial,  called 
“  The  Lapse." 


BATTLE  OUTSIDE  ORLEANS. 


II 

SECOND  PROCESS:  THE  RELAPSE 

Monday,  May  2  2>th,  the  day  following  Trinity  Sunday. 

We,  the  aforesaid  Judges,  repaired  to  the  place  of 
Jeanne’s  prison,  to  learn  the  state  and  disposition  of  her 
soul.  There  were  found  with  us  the  Lords  and  Masters 
Nicolas  de  Venderès,  Guillaume  Haiton,  Thomas  de 
Courcelles,  Brother  Ysambard  de  la  Pierre  ;  witnesses, 
Jacques  Cannes,  Nicolas  Bertin,  Julien  Floquet  and 
John  Gris. 

And  because  Jeanne  was  dressed  in  the  dress  of  a  man — 
that  is  to  say,  a  short  mantle,  a  hood,  a  doublet  and  other 
effects  used  by  men — although,  by  our  orders,  she  had, 
several  days  before,  consented  to  give  up  these  garments, 
we  asked  her  when  and  for  what  reason  she  had  resumed 
this  dress.1 

1  Several  versions  of  the  reasons  which  caused  Jeanne  to  resume  the 
forbidden  dress  were  given  in  the  evidence  taken  at  the  Rehabilitation,  all 
purporting  to  have  come  from  her.  According  to  Massieu,  her  woman’s 
dress  was  taken  away  while  she  was  asleep,  and  the  English  soldiers 
refused  to  give  it  back  to  her,  offering  in  its  stead  the  man’s  dress  she  had 


1 36 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


She  answered  us  : 

“  I  have  but  now  resumed  the  dress  of  a  man  and  put 
off  the  woman’s  dress.  ” 

“Why  did  you  take  it,  and  who  made  you  take  it  ?” 

“  I  took  it  of  my  own  free  will,  and  with  no  constraint  : 
I  prefer  a  man’s  dress  to  a  woman’s  dress.” 

“You  promised  and  swore  not  to  resume  a  man’s  dress.” 

“  I  never  meant  to  swear  that  I  would  not  resume  it.” 

“  Why  have  you  resumed  it  ?  ” 

“  Because  it  is  more  lawful  and  suitable  for  me  to 
resume  it  and  to  wear  man’s  dress,  being  with  men,  than 
to  have  a  woman’s  dress.  I  have  resumed  it  because  the 
promise  made  to  me  has  not  been  kept  ;  that  is  to  say, 
that  I  should  go  to  Mass  and  should  receive  my  Saviour 
and  that  I  should  be  taken  out  of  irons.” 

“  Did  you  not  abjure  and  promise  not  to  resume  this 
dress  ?  ” 

“  I  would  rather  die  than  be  in  irons  !  but  if  I  am 
allowed  to  go  to  Mass,  and  am  taken  out  of  irons  and 
put  into  a  gracious  prison,  and  [may  have  a  woman 
for  companion  *]  I  will  be  good,  and  do  as  the  Church 
wills.” 

And  as  We,  the  Judges,  heard  from  several  persons 
that  she  had  returned  to  her  old  illusions  on  the  subject 
of  her  pretended  revelations,  We  put  to  her  this 
question  : 

previously  worn,  ‘which  they  emptied  from  a  sack.’  She  refused  to  wear  it, 
reminding  them  that  it  was  forbidden  her  ;  but  at  last,  at  midday,  finding 
them  deaf  to  her  remonstrance,  she  was  obliged  to  rise  and  attire  herself  in 
the  prohibited  garments.  The  Dominican  Brothers  declared  that  she  had 
been  assaulted  by  an  English  milord,  as  she  told  them,  and  that  she  there¬ 
fore  considered  it  necessary  to  return  to  the  protection  of  her  old  dress  ;  but 
considering  the  type  of  soldier  in  whose  care  she  was  placed,  there  seems 
no  need  to  seek  for  any  further  explanation  than  her  own,  as  given  in  the 
text,  and  as  later  corroborated  by  Manchon  and  De  Courcelles.  In  the 
Rehabilitation  Enquiry,  both  Jean  de  Metz  and  de  Poulengey  claim  to  have 
suggested  the  male  attire.  At  Poitiers,  Jeanne  herself  stated  that  she  had 
adopted  it  as  most  suitable  to  her  work  and  the  company  she  must  share. 

1  This  request  is  found  only  in  the  Minute. 


THE  RELAPSE  137 

“  Since  last  Thursday  [the  day  of  her  abjuration]  have 
you  heard  your  Voices  at  all  ?” 

“  Yes,  I  have  heard  them.” 

“  What  did  they  say  to  you  ?  ” 

“  They  said  to  me  :  1  ‘  God  had  sent  me  word  by 
St.  Catherine  and  St.  Margaret  of  the  great  pity  it  is, 
this  treason  to  which  I  have  consented,  to  abjure  and 
recant  in  order  to  save  my  life  !  I  have  damned  myself 
to  save  my  life  !  ’  Before  last  Thursday,  my  Voices  did 
indeed  tell  me  what  I  should  do  and  what  I  did  on  that 
day.  When  I  was  on  the  scaffold  on  Thursday,  my 
Voices  said  to  me,  while  the  preacher  was  speaking  : 

‘  Answer  him  boldly,  this  preacher  !  ’  And  in  truth  he  is 
a  false  preacher  ;  he  reproached  me  with  many  things  I 
never  did.  If  I  said  that  God  had  not  sent  me,  I 
should  damn  myself,  for  it  is  true  that  God  has  sent 
me  ;  my  Voices  have  said  to  me  since  Thursday  :  ‘  Thou 
hast  done  a  great  evil  in  declaring  that  what  thou  hast 
done  was  wrong.’  All  I  said  and  revoked,  I  said  for 
fear  of  the  fire.” 

“  Do  you  believe  that  your  Voices  are  Saint  Catherine 
and  Saint  Margaret  ?  ” 

“  Yes,  I  believe  it,  and  that  they  come  from  God.” 

“Tell  us  the  truth  on  the  subject  of  this  crown  which 
is  mentioned  in  your  Trial.” 

“In  everything,  I  told  you  the  truth  about  it  in  my 
Trial,  as  well  as  I  know.” 

“  On  the  scaffold,  at  the  moment  of  your  abjuration, 
you  did  admit  before  us,  your  Judges,  and  before  many 
others,  in  presence  of  all  the  people,  that  you  had  un¬ 
truthfully  boasted  your  Voices  to  be  Saint  Catherine 
and  Saint  Margaret.” 

“  I  did  not  intend  so  to  do  or  say.  I  did  not  intend 
to  deny  my  apparitions — that  is  to  say,  that  they  were 

1  In  the  margin,  the  Registrar  has  written  against  this  answer  :  “  Responsio 
mortifera 


138 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


Saint  Catherine  and  Saint  Margaret  ;  what  I  said 
was  from  fear  of  the  fire  :  I  revoked  nothing  that 
was  not  against  the  truth.  I  would  rather  do  penance 
once  for  all — that  is  die — than  endure  any  longer  the 
suffering  of  a  prison.  I  have  done  nothing  against  God 
or  the  Faith,  in  spite  of  all  they  have  made  me  revoke. 
What  was  in  the  schedule  of  abjuration  I  did  not  under¬ 
stand.  I  did  not  intend  to  revoke  anything  except  accord¬ 
ing  to  God’s  good  pleasure.  If  the  Judges  wish,  I  will 
resume  a  woman’s  dress  ;  for  the  rest,  I  can  do  no  more.” 

After  hearing  this,  We  retired  from  her,  to  act  and 
proceed  later  according  to  law  and  reason. 


Final  Adjudication. 

The  next  day ,  Tuesday,  May  29 th,  in  the  Chapel  of 
the  Archiépiscopal  Manor  of  Rouen,  the  Judges  and  40 
Assessors  present. 

We,  the  Bishop,  did,  in  presence  of  all  the  above- 
named,  set  forth  that,  after  the  Sitting  held  by  Us  in 
this  same  place,  on  Saturday,  May  19th,  the  Eve  of 
Whitsunday,  We  had,  by  the  advice  of  the  Assessors, 
caused  Jeanne  to  be  admonished  on  the  following 
Wednesday,  and  had  made  known  to  her  in  detail  the 
divers  points  on  which,  according  to  the  decision  of  the 
University  of  Paris,  she  must  be  considered  to  have 
fallen  short  and  erred  ;  We  caused  her  to  be  exhorted  in 
the  most  lively  manner  to  abandon  her  errors,  and  to 
return  into  the  way  of  truth  ;  up  to  the  last  moment  she 
refused  to  agree  to  these  admonitions  and  these  exhorta¬ 
tions,  and  would  say  nothing  more  ;  the  Promoter,  on 
his  side,  asserted  that  he  had  nothing  more  to  bring 
forward  against  her.  We  then  pronounced  the  closing  of 
the  Case,  and  summoned  the  parties  on  the  following 
day,  Thursday,  24th  May  next,  to  hear  the  law  pro- 


THE  RELAPSE 


139 

nounced,  all  whereof  is  proved  by  the  documents  of  the 
Procès  Verbal  transcribed  above. 

Afterwards,  We  did  recall  what  had  passed  on 
Thursday,  May  24th  ;  how  Jeanne,  after  having  on  that 
day  received  a  solemn  preachment  and  numerous 
admonitions,  did  end  by  signing  with  her  own  hand  her 
revocation  and  abjuration  ;  the  whole  whereof  is  at 
greater  length  recounted  in  the  preceding  document. 
We  did  add  that,  in  the  afternoon  of  the  same  day,  the 
Deputy  Inquisitor,  Our  Coadjutor,  did  go  to  seek 
her  in  her  prison,  and  did  charitably  admonish  her  to 
persist  in  her  good  purpose  and  to  guard  herself  well 
against  any  relapse.  Obeying  the  orders  of  the  Church, 
Jeanne  did  then  put  off  the  dress  she  was  wearing,  and 
take  that  of  a  woman  ;  all  whereof  hath  been  likewise 
set  forth  at  greater  length  as  to  time  and  place. 

But  since  that  day,  driven  by  the  Devil,  behold  !  she 
hath,  in  the  presence  of  many  persons,  declared  anew 
that  her  Voices  and  the  spirits  that  appeared  to  her  have 
returned  to  her,  and  have  said  many  things  to  her  ;  and, 
casting  away  her  woman’s  dress  she  hath  again  taken 
male  garments.  As  soon  as  We,  the  Judges,  did  receive 
information  of  this  lapse,  We  were  eager  to  return  to  her 
and  to  question  her. 

And  then,  in  presence  of  all  the  above-named,  in 
the  said  Chapel  of  the  Archiépiscopal  Manor  of  Rouen, 
We,  the  Bishop,  did  order  to  be  read  the  declarations 
and  affirmations  which  Jeanne  pronounced  yesterday 
before  us,  and  which  are  reproduced  above. 

After  this  reading  had  been  made,  We  asked  advice 
and  counsel  thereon  from  the  Assessors.  Each  one 
hath  given  his  opinion,  as  follows  : — 

Maître  Nicolas  de  Vender  es  :  Jeanne  should  be 
considered  a  heretic  :  the  sentence  declaring  her  to 
be  so,  once  given  by  Us,  the  Judges,  she  should  be 
abandoned  to  the  secular  authority,  which  should  be 


140 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


prayed  to  act  towards  her  with  gentleness.  [“  Rogando 
earn  ut  cum  velit  mite  agere the  usual  formula  for 
victims  sent  to  the  stake.] 

The  Reverend  Father  in  Christ ,  the  Lord  Gilles , 
Abbot  of  the  Monastery  of  the  Holy  Trinity  at  Fecamp  ; 
Jeanne  is  relapsed.  Nevertheless,  it  would  be  well  that 
the  schedule  containing  her  last  answers,  which  hath 
just  been  read,  should  be  read  anew  and  set  forth  to  her, 
reminding  her  once  more  of  the  Word  of  God  ;  after¬ 
wards,  We,  the  Judges,  should  declare  her  a  heretic  and 
abandon  her  to  the  secular  authority,  praying  this 
authority  to  deal  gently  with  her. 

[The  remainder  of  the  Assessors  agreed  in  general 
with  this  opinion  of  the  Abbot  of  Fécamp  ;  some  added 
that  she  should  be  again  charitably  admonished,  in  regard 
to  the  salvation  of  her  soul,  and  should  be  told  that  she 
had  nothing  further  to  expect  as  to  her  earthly  life.] 

After  having  gathered  this  advice,  We,  the  Judges, 
did  thank  the  Assessors,  and  gave  orders  that  Jeanne 
should  be  afterwards  proceeded  against,  as  relapsed, 
according  to  law  and  reason. 

Mandate  citing  Jeanne  to  appear  on  Wednesday , 
May  30 th. 

“  Pierre,  by  the  Divine  Mercy  Bishop  of  Beauvais,  and 
Jean  Lemaître,  Deputy  of  Maître  Jean  Graverend, 
renowned  Doctor,  appointed  by  the  Holy  See  Inquisitor 
of  the  Evil  of  Heresy  in  the  Kingdom  of  France  ;  to  all 
public  Priests,  to  all  Curés  of  this  town  and  of  any  other 
place  wherever  it  be  in  the  Diocese  of  Rouen,  to  each  of 
them  in  particular,  according  as  it  shall  be  required  : 
Greeting  in  Our  Saviour.  For  the  causes  and  reasons 
to  be  elsewhere  deduced  at  greater  length,  a  certain 
woman  of  the  name  of  Jeanne,  commonly  called  the 
Maid,  having  fallen  into  errors  against  the  Orthodox 
Faith — errors  which  she  hath  publicly  abjured  before 


THE  RELAPSE 


H1 

the  Church,  and  to  which  she  hath  returned — as  is 
established  and  proved  by  her  avowals  and  assertions: 
We  command  to  all  of  you  and  to  each  in  particular,  by 
this  requisition,  without  the  one  waiting  for  the  other, 
or  excusing  himself  by  another,  that  you  cite  the  said 
Jeanne  to  appear  before  Us  in  person  to-morrow,  at  the 
hour  of  8  o’clock  in  the  morning,  at  Rouen,  in  the  place 
called  the  Old  Market,  in  order  that  she  may  be  declared 
by  us  relapsed,  excommunicate,  and  heretic,  with  the 
intimation  that  it  shall  be  done  to  her  as  is  customary  in 
such  cases. 

“  Given  in  the  Chapel  of  the  Archiépiscopal  Manor  of 
Rouen,  Tuesday,  May  29th,  the  year  of  Our  Lord, 
H31-” 


On  the  following  day ,  Wednesday ,  30  th  of  May ,  Jeanne, 
by  virtue  of  the  preceding  mandate  from  Us,  was  cited  for 
the  same  day,  in  order  to  hear  the  law  pronounced,  as  is 
proved  at  greater  length  by  the  tenour  of  the  following 
relation,  done  for  us  by  the  Executor  of  our  mandates  : 

“To  the  reverend  Father  and  Lord  in  Christ,  the  Lord 
Pierre,  by  the  Divine  Mercy  Bishop  of  Beauvais,  and 
to  the  venerable  and  religious  person  Brother  Jean 
Lemaître,  Deputy  of  Maître  Jean  Graverend,  renowned 
Doctor,  by  order  of  the  Holy  Apostolic  See  Inquisitor 
of  the  Faith  and  of  the  Evil  of  Heresy  in  the  Kingdom 
of  France:  your  humble  Jean  Massieu,  Priest,  Dean  of 
the  Christendom  of  Rouen 1  sends  earnest  Greeting, 
with  all  protestations  of  obedience  and  respect.  This  is 
to  inform  your  Reverend  Paternities,  that  I,  Massieu, 
in  virtue  of  your  mandate  sent  to  me,  to  which  these 
presents  will  be  annexed,  have  cited,  speaking  to  her  in 
person,  this  woman,  commonly  called  the  Maid,  to 
appear  before  you  this  day,  Wednesday,  May  30th,  at 
the  hour  of  eight  in  the  morning,  at  Rouen,  in  the  place 
1  An  appointment  equivalent  to  a  Rural  Dean. 


142 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


of  the  Old  Market,  according  to  the  form  and  tenour  of 
your  said  mandate,  and  to  that  which  I  have  been 
ordered  to  do.  All  the  which,  thus  done  by  me,  I 
signify  to  your  Reverend  Paternities  by  these  presents, 
signed  by  my  seal. 

“  Given  in  the  year  of  Our  Lord  1431,  on  the  aforesaid 
Wednesday,  at  7  o’clock  in  the  morning. 

“  Massieu.” 


SENTENCE  OF  DEATH 

Final  Sentence  given  before  the  People. 

Wednesday ,  May  30 th,  towards  9  o’clock  in  the 
morning , 

We,  the  Judges,  repaired  to  the  place  of  the  Old 
Market,  in  Rouen,  near  the  Church  of  Saint  Sauveur. 

We  were  assisted  by  the  reverend  Fathers  in  Christ 
the  Lords  Bishops  of  Thérouenne  and  Noyon  ;  and 
by  a  number  of  other  Lords,  Masters,  and  ecclesiastical 
personages. 

Before  Us  was  brought  the  said  Jeanne,  in  presence  of 
the  people,  assembled  in  this  place  in  an  immense 
multitude. 

She  was  placed  upon  a  scaffold  or  platform. 

For  her  wholesome  admonition  and  for  the  edification 
of  the  whole  multitude,  a  solemn  address  was  made  by 
the  renowned  Doctor,  Nicolas  Midi,  who  took  for  his 
text  those  words  of  the  Apostle  in  the  first  Epistle  to 
the  Corinthians,  Chapter  xii.,  “  If  one  member  suffer, 
all  the  members  suffer  with  it.” 

This  address  ended,  We,  the  Bishop,  did  once  more 
admonish  Jeanne  to  look  to  her  salvation,  to  reflect  on 
her  misdeeds,  to  repent  of  them,  to  have  a  true  con¬ 
trition  for  them.  We  exhorted  her  to  believe  hereon 
the  opinion  of  the  Clergy,  of  the  notable  persons  who 
have  taught  and  instructed  her  on  all  that  treats  of  her 


COURT  OF  JUSTICE. 

From  a  Miniature  by  Jean  Fouquet. 


•>  ’ 


. 


■■  ■  g  ,  f 

SENTENCE  OF  DEATH 


H3 


salvation.  We  did  particularly  exhort  her  to  believe  the 
good  advice  of  the  two  venerable  Dominicans1  who 
were  at  that  moment  beside  her,  and  whom  we  had  sent  to 
her  to  converse  with  her  up  to  the  last  moment  and  to 
furnish  her  in  all  surety  with  wholesome  admonitions 
and  counsels  profitable  to  her  salvation. 

Afterwards,  We,  the  Bishop  and  Vicar  aforesaid, 
having  regard  to  all  that  has  gone  before,  in  which  it  is 
shewn  that  this  woman  hath  never  truly  abandoned  her 
errors,  her  obstinate  temerity,  nor  her  unheard-of  crimes  ; 
that  she  hath  even  shewn  the  malice  of  her  diabolical 
obstinacy  in  this  deceitful  semblance  of  contrition, 
penitence,  and  amendment  ;  malice  rendered  still  more 
damnable  by  perjury  of  the  Holy  Name  of  God  and 
blasphemy  of  His  ineffable  Majesty  ;  considering  her  on 
all  these  grounds  obstinate,  incorrigible,  heretic,  relapsed 
into  heresy,  and  altogether  unworthy  of  the  grace  and 
of  the  Communion  which,  by  our  former  sentence,  We 
did  mercifully  accord  to  her  ;  all  of  which  being  seen 
and  considered,  after  mature  deliberation  and  counsel  of 
a  great  number  of  Doctors,  We  have  at  last  proceeded 
to  the  Final  Sentence  in  these  terms  : 

In  the  Name  of  the  Lord  :  Amen. 

At  all  times  when  the  poisoned  virus  of  heresy 
attaches  itself  with  persistence  to  a  member  of  the 
Church  and  transforms  him  into  a  member  of  Satan, 
extreme  care  should  be  taken  to  watch  that  the  horrible 
contagion  of  this  pernicious  leprosy  do  not  gain  other 
parts  of  the  mystic  Body  of  Christ.  The  decisions  of 
the  holy  Fathers  have  willed  that  hardened  heretics 
should  be  separated  from  the  midst  of  the  Just,  so  that 
to  the  great  peril  of  others  this  homicidal  viper  should 
not  be  warmed  in  the  bosom  of  pious  Mother  Church. 
It  is  for  this  that  We,  Pierre,  by  the  Divine  Mercy, 
Bishop  of  Beauvais,  and  We,  Brother  Jean  Lemaître, 

1  Brothers  Ysambard  de  la  Pierre  and  Martin  Ladvenu. 


1 44 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


Deputy  of  the  renowned  Doctor,  Jean  Graverend, 
Inquisitor  of  the  Evil  of  Heresy,  specially  delegated  by 
him  for  this  Process,  both  Judges  competentdn  this  Trial, 
already,  by  a  just  judgment,  have  declared  this  woman 
fallen  into  divers  errors  and  divers  crimes  of  schism, 
idolatry,  invocation  of  demons  and  many  others.  But 
because  the  Church  closes  not  her  bosom  to  the  child 
who  returns  to  her,  we  did  think  that,  with  a  pure 
spirit  and  a  faith  unfeigned,  thou  hadst  put  far  from  thee 
thy  errors  and  thy  crimes,  considering  that  on  a  certain 
day  thou  didst  renounce  them  and  didst  publicly  swear, 
vow,  and  promise  never  to  return  to  thy  errors  and 
heresies,  to  resist  all  temptations,  and  to  remain  faithfully 
attached  to  the  unity  of  the  Catholic  Church  and  the 
communion  of  the  Roman  Pontiff,  as  is  proved  at 
greater  length  in  a  writing  signed  by  thine  own  hand. 
But  after  this  abjuration  of  thine  errors,  the  Author  of 
Schism  and  Heresy  hath  arisen  in  thine  heart,  which  he 
hath  once  more  seduced,  and  it  hath  become  manifest  by 
thy  spontaneous  confessions  and  assertions — O,  shame  ! 
— that,  as  the  dog  returns  again  to  his  vomit,  so  hast 
thou  returned  to  thine  errors  and  crimes  ;  and  it  hath 
been  proved  to  us  in  a  most  certain  manner  that  thou 
hast  renounced  thy  guilty  inventions  and  thy  errors  only 
in  a  lying  manner,  not  in  a  sincere  and  faithful  spirit. 
For  these  causes,  declaring  thee  fallen  again  into  thine 
old  errors,  and  under  the  sentence  of  excommunication 
which  thou  hast  formerly  incurred,  We  decree  that 
thou  art  a  relapsed  heretic,  by  our  present  sentence 
which,  seated  in  tribunal,  we  utter  and  pronounce  in  this 
writing  ;  we  denounce  thee  as  a  rotten  member,  and 
that  thou  mayest  not  vitiate  others,  as  cast  out  from  the 
unity  of  the  Church,  separate  from  her  Body,  abandoned 
to  the  secular  power  as,  indeed,  by  these  presents,  we  do 
cast  thee  off,  separate  and  abandon  thee  ; — praying  this 
same  secular  power,  so  far  as  concerns  death  and  the 


SENTENCE  OF  DEATH 


145 


mutilation  of  the  limbs,  to  moderate  its  judgment 
towards  thee,  and,  if  true  signs  of  penitence  should 
appear  in  thee,  [to  permit]  that  the  Sacrament  of 
Penance  be  administered  to  thee. 

Here  follows  the  Sentence  of  Excommunication ,  [the 
introductory  part  being  word  for  word  the  same  as  the 
previous  sentence,  read  on  May  24th,  up  to  the  words 
“We,  the  Judges,  say  and  decree  ”  ;  after  which  follows:  ] 

.  .  .  that  thou  hast  been  on  the  subject  of  thy  pretended 
divine  revelations  and  apparitions  lying,  seducing,  per¬ 
nicious,  presumptuous,  lightly  believing,  rash,  super¬ 
stitious,  a  divineress  and  blasphemer  towards  God  and 
the  Saints,  a  despiser  of  God  Himself  in  His  Sacra¬ 
ments  ;  a  prevaricator  of  the  Divine  Law,  of  sacred 
doctrine  and  of  ecclesiastical  sanctions  ;  seditious,  cruel, 
apostate,  schismatic,  erring  on  many  points  of  our  Faith, 
and  by  all  these  means  rashly  guilty  towards  God  and 
Holy  Church.  And  also,  because  that  often,  very 
often,  not  only  by  Us  on  Our  part  but  by  Doctors  and 
Masters  learned  and  expert,  full  of  zeal  for  the  salvation 
of  thy  soul,  thou  hast  been  duly  and  sufficiently  warned 
to  amend,  to  correct  thyself  and  to  submit  to  the 
disposal,  decision,  and  correction  of  Holy  Mother 
Church,  which  thou  hast  not  willed,  and  hast  always 
obstinately  refused  to  do,  having  even  expressly  and 
many  times  refused  to  submit  thyself  to  our  lord  the 
Pope  and  to  the  General  Council  ;  for  these  causes,  as 
hardened  and  obstinate  in  thy  crimes,  excesses  and 
errors,  We  declare  thee  of  right  excommunicate  and 
heretic  ;  and  after  thine  errors  have  been  destroyed 
in  a  public  preaching,  We  declare  that  thou  must  be 
abandoned  and  that  We  do  abandon  thee  to  the  secular 
authority,  as  a  member  of  Satan,  separate  from  the 
Church,  infected  with  the  leprosy  of  heresy,  in  order 
that  thou  mayst  not  corrupt  also  the  other  members  of 


L 


146 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


Christ  ;  praying  this  same  power,  that,  as  concerns 
death  and  the  mutilation  of  the  limbs,  it  may  be  pleased 
to  moderate  its  judgment  ;  and  if  true  signs  of  penitence 
should  appear  in  thee,  that  the  Sacrament  of  Penance 
may  be  administered  to  thee. 


Attestations  by  the  Registrars. 

“  I,  Boisguillaume,  Priest,  Registrar  above  qualified,  affirm  that  I  have  duly- 
collated  the  foregoing  document  with  the  original  Minute  of  the  Process  ; 
for  which  reason  I  have  marked  this  present  copy  with  my  sign  manual,  the 
which  will  be  done  after  me  by  the  two  other  Registrars,  I  signing  in  this 
place  with  my  own  hand. 

(Signed)  “  Boisguillaume.” 

“And  I,  Guillaume  Manchon,  Priest,  of  the  Diocese  of  Rouen,  Apostolic 
and  Imperial  Notary,  I  affirm  that  I  assisted  in  the  collation  made  of  the 
aforesaid  Process,  with  the  Registrars  signed  above  and  below  ;  I  affirm 
that  this  collation  of  the  present  copy  with  the  original  Minute  of  the  Pro¬ 
cess  hath  been  duly  made.  For  which,  in  the  same  way  as  the  two  other 
Registrars,  I  have  subscribed  the  present  copy  with  my  own  hand,  affixing 
thereto  my  sign-manual,  to  this  required. 

(Signed)  “  G.  Manchon.” 

“  And  I,  Nicholas  Taquel,  Priest  of  the  Diocese  of  Rouen,  sworn  Imperial 
Public  Notary  and  of  the  Archiépiscopal  Court  of  Rouen,  called  as  Registrar 
to  a  part  of  the  foregoing  Process,  I  affirm  that  I  have  seen  and  heard  the 
present  copy  collated  with  the  original  register  of  the  said  Process  ;  I  affirm 
that  this  collation  hath  been  duly  made.  For  which,  with  the  two  other 
Registrars  preceding,  I  have  subscribed  with  my  own  hand  the  present 
Process,  affixing  thereto,  here,  my  sign-manual,  to  this  required. 

(Signed)  “N.  Taquel.” 

[Here  follow  the  seals  of  the  two  Judges,  marked  in 
red  wax  on  the  original  copies  of  the  Process,  prepared 
to  the  number  of  five.] 


SUBSEQUENT  EXAMINATIONS1 

AND 

PROCEEDINGS  AFTER  THE  RELAPSE. 


Information  given  after  the  Execution  on  many  things 
said  by  Jeanne,  at  the  end  of  her  life  and  in  articulo 
mortis. 

Thursday,  7th  day  of  June,  1431,  We,  the  Judges,  did 
ex-officio  take  information  upon  certain  things  which  the 
late  Jeanne  had  said  before  persons  worthy  of  credit 
when  she  was  still  in  prison  and  before  being  brought 
to  judgment. 


Examination  of  Witnesses. 

1.  The  venerable  and  ciraimspect  Maître  Nicolas  de 
Venderes,  licentiate  in  Canon  Law ,  Archdeacon  of  Eu, 
hath  declared  upon  oath  as  follows  : 

Wednesday,  30th  day  of  May,  Eve  of  the  Feast  of 
Corpus  Christi,  Jeanne,  being  still  in  the  prison  of  the 
Castle  of  Rouen  where  she  was  detained,  did  say  that 
considering  the  Voices  which  came  to  her  had  promised 
she  should  be  delivered  from  prison,  and  that  she  now 
saw  the  contrary,  she  realized  and  knew  she  had  been, 
and  still  was,  deceived  by  them.  Jeanne  did,  besides, 
say  and  confess  that  she  had  seen  with  her  own  eyes  and 
heard  with  her  own  ears  the  apparitions  and  Voices 
mentioned  in  the  Case. 

At  this  were  present,  you,  the  Judges  aforesaid,  and 
1  Not  included  in  the  Official  Text  of  the  Trial. 


L  2 


148 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


besides  Maître  Pierre  Maurice,  Thomas  de  Courcelles, 
Nicolas  Loyseleur,  Brother  Martin  Ladvenu,  Jean 
Toutmouillé,  Jacques  Lecamus,  and  several  others. 

Brother  Martin  Ladvenu,  Priest  of  the  Order  of 
Saint  Dominic ,  did  say  and  depose,  upon  oath ,  as 
follows  : 

On  the  morning  of  the  day  on  which  sentence  was 
delivered  and  before  she  was  brought  to  judgment, 
Jeanne,  in  presence  of  Maître  Pierre  Maurice,  Nicolas 
Loyseleur,  and  Brother  Jean  Toutmouillé,  who  were 
with  me,  did  say  and  confess  that  she  knew  and  recog¬ 
nized  that  the  Voices  and  apparitions  which  had  come 
to  her,  mentioned  in  the  Case,  had  deceived  her,  because 
they  had  promised  she  should  be  delivered  and  freed 
from  prison  ;  and  that  she  certainly  now  saw  clearly  the 
contrary. 

Asked  by  the  Bishop  :  Who  induced  Jeanne  so  to 
speak  ? 

Replied  :  Pierre  Maurice,  Nicolas  Loyseleur,  and  I 
exhorted  her  to  save  her  soul,  and  asked  her  if  it  were 
true  that  she  had  these  Voices  and  apparitions  ?  She 
replied  that  it  was  indeed  true,  and  she  continued  so  to 
tell  us  up  to  the  end,  but  without  stating  decidedly,  at 
least,  so  far  as  I  understood,  under  what  form  the 
apparitions  came  to  her.  All  I  remember  is  that  she  said 
they  came  to  her  in  great  multitude  and  in  the  small¬ 
est  size  [in  magna  multitudine  et  quantitate  minima\. 
Besides,  I  did  at  this  time  hear  Jeanne  say  and  confess 
that,  inasmuch  as  the  Clergy  held  and  believed  that  if 
they  were  spirits  who  came  to  her  they  proceeded  from 
evil  spirits,  she  also  held  and  believed  as  did  the  Clergy, 
and  would  no  longer  put  faith  in  these  spirits.  And  as 
it  appeared  to  me,  Jeanne  was  then  of  a  sound  mind. 

Brother  Martin  Ladvenu  did  add  this  :  The  same  day 


SUBSEQUENT  EXAMINATIONS  149 

I  heard  Jeanne  say  that,  although  she  had  stated  in  her 
avowals  and  confessions,  and  had  affirmed  above  in  the 
course  of  the  Case,  that  an  Angel  from  God  had  brought 
a  crown  to  him  whom  she  called  her  King,  with  all 
other  details  connected  with  this  fact  in  the  interro¬ 
gatories,  nevertheless,  of  her  free-will  and  without 
being  constrained  thereto,  she  did  this  day  confess  as 
follows  :  that  in  spite  of  all  she  had  affirmed  on  the  subject 
of  this  Angel,  no  Angel  had  brought  the  crown  ;  it  was 
she,  Jeanne,  who  had  been  the  Angel,  and  who  said  and 
promised  to  him  whom  she  called  her  King,  that,  if  he 
would  set  her  to  the  work,  she  would  have  him  crowned 
at  Rheims.  There  was  no  other  crown  sent  from  God, 
in  spite  of  all  she  might  have  affirmed  in  the  course  of 
the  Case  on  the  subject  of  the  crown  and  the  sign  given 
to  him  whom  she  called  her  King. 

The  venerable  and  discreet  Maître  Pierre  Maurice, 
Professor  in  Theology ,  Canon  of  Rouen ,  deposed ,  upon 
oath ,  as  follows  : 

The  day  of  the  sentence,  Jeanne  being  still  in  the 
prison,  I  repaired  to  her  in  the  morning  to  exhort  her  to 
save  her  soul.  In  so  exhorting  her,  I  asked  her  what 
was  the  Angel  mentioned  in  the  Trial,  who,  according  to 
her,  had  brought  a  crown  to  him  whom  she  called  her 
King  ? 

She  replied  that  it  was  herself  who  was  the  Angel. 

Having  questioned  her  afterwards  on  the  subject  of 
the  crown  which  she  had  promised  to  her  King,  of  the 
multitude  of  Angels  who  at  that  time  accompanied  her, 
she  replied  that  it  was  true  that  Angels  appeared  to  her 
under  the  form  of  very  minute  things.  Finally,  I  asked  her 
if  this  apparition  were  real  ?  “  Yes,”  she  replied,  “the 

spirits  did  really  appear  to  me — be  they  good  or  be  they 
evil  spirits — they  did  appear  to  me.”  She  also  said  that 


i5o 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


she  had  in  particular  heard  her  Voices  at  the  hour  of 
Compline,  when  the  bells  rang,  and  in  the  morning  also, 
when  the  bells  rang.  And  when  I  told  her  that  they 
were  evil  spirits — in  this,  that  they  had  promised  her 
deliverance  and  had  deceived  her — “  It  is  true,”  she 
replied,  “  they  have  deceived  me.”  I  also  heard  her 
declare  that  to  know  whether  they  were  good  or  evil 
spirits,  she  referred  to  the  Clergy.  When  she  thus 
spoke,  Jeanne,  so  far  as  it  seemed  to  me,  was  sound 
in  mind  and  understanding. 

Brother  Jean  Toutmouillé,  Priest ,  of  the  Order  of 
Saint  Dominic ,  did  say  and  declare  upon  oath  as  follows  : 

The  day  that  sentence  was  given  upon  Jeanne, 
Wednesday,  Eve  of  the  Feast  of  Corpus  Christi,  I 
accompanied  Brother  Martin  Ladvenu,  who,  early  in  the 
morning,  repaired  to  her  to  exhort  her  to  save  her  soul. 

I  first  heard  Maître  Pierre  Maurice,  who  had  gone 
earlier  to  her,  declare  she  had  confessed  that  all 
which  concerned  the  crown  was  fiction  :  that  it  was  she 
who  was  the  Angel.  The  said  Master  reported  all  this 
to  us  in  Latin.  Afterwards,  Jeanne  was  questioned  on 
the  subject  of  the  Voices  and  apparitions  which  had 
come  to  her.  She  replied  that  she  had  really  heard 
voices,  chiefly  when  the  bells  rang  Compline  or  Matins  ; 
and  she  persisted  in  saying  this,  although  Maître  Pierre 
Maurice  told  her  that,  sometimes  when  the  bells  rang, 
one  thought  one  could  hear  and  catch  the  sounds  of 
human  voices.  Jeanne  did  also  say  and  confess  that 
she  had  had  apparitions  which  came  to  her  in  great 
multitude  and  in  minute  quantity — that  is  to  say,  under 
small  forms  ; — she  did  not  perfectly  explain  the  form,  or 
kind,  of  her  apparitions.  The  same  day,  after  you,  the 
Bishop,  had  come  in  with  the  Lord  Deputy  Inquisitor 
into  the  room  where  she  was  detained,  you  said  to 


SUBSEQUENT  EXAMINATIONS  151 

Jeanne  in  French,  “Now  then,  Jeanne,  you  always  told 
us  that  your  Voices  assured  you  that  you  would  be 
delivered  :  you  see  now  how  they  have  deceived  you  ; 
tell  us  the  truth  now.”  “  Truly,”  Jeanne  replied  to 
you,  “  I  see  indeed  that  they  have  deceived  me  !  ”  I 
did  not  hear  her  say  more,  save  only  that,  early 
in  the  same  day,  before  you  were  come  to  the  prison, 
Jeanne,  being  asked  if  her  Voices  and  apparitions  pro¬ 
ceeded  from  good  or  evil  spirits,  did  reply  :  “  I  know 
not — I  wait  on  my  Mother,  the  Church,”  or  “  I  wait 
on  you,  who  are  of  the  Church.”  And,  so  far  as  it 
seemed  to  me,  Jeanne  was  at  this  time  of  sound  mind  ; 
I  heard  Jeanne  herself  then  declare  that  she  was  of 
sound  mind. 

Messire  Jacques  Lecamus,  Priest ,  Canon  of  Rheims, 
did  say  and  declare  upon  oath  as  follows  : 

Wednesday,  Eve  of  the  Feast  of  Corpus  Christi,  I 
went  with  you,  the  Bishop,  into  the  room  of  the  Castle 
of  Rouen  where  Jeanne  was  detained,  and  there  I  heard 
Jeanne  say  and  confess,  publicly  and  in  a  voice  loud 
enough  to  be  heard  by  all  those  present,  that  she  had 
had  apparitions  and  had  also  heard  Voices  ;  that  these 
apparitions  and  Voices  had  promised  her  that  she  should 
be  delivered  from  prison  ;  but  now  she  saw  in  truth 
that  they  had  deceived  her,  and,  for  having  thus 
deceived  her,  she  believed  they  could  not  be  good 
Voices  nor  good  things.  A  little  while  after,  she  con¬ 
fessed  her  sins  to  Brother  Martin,  of  the  Order  of 
Saint  Dominic.  After  the  Sacrament  of  Confession 
and  Penitence,  when  the  same  Brother  was  about  to 
administer  the  Sacrament  of  the  Eucharist  to  her,  and 
already  held  in  his  hands  the  Consecrated  Host,  “  Do 
you  believe,”  he  asked  her,  “  that  this  is  the  Body  of 
Christ?”  “Yes,”  she  replied,  “  and  I  believe  that  He 


I52 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


alone  can  deliver  me  ;  I  ask  that  It  may  be  administered 
to  me.”  After  the  Communion,  the  same  Brother  said 
to  her:  “Do  you  still  believe  in  your  Voices?”  “I 
believe  in  God  only,”  she  answered,  “  and  will  no  more 
put  faith  in  my  Voices,  for  having  deceived  me  on  this 
point.” 

Maître  Thomas  de  Courcelles,  Master  of  Arts, 
Bachelor  of  Theology,  did  say  and  depose,  upon  oath,  as 
follows  : 

Wednesday,  Vigil  of  the  Feast  of  Corpus  Christi, 
being  in  the  presence  of  you,  the  Bishop,  in  the  room  of 
the  Castle  of  Rouen  where  Jeanne  was  detained,  I  heard 
and  understood  that  you  asked  Jeanne  if  it  were  not 
true  that  her  Voices  had  promised  to  deliver  her  ?  She 
replied  that  her  Voices  had  truly  promised  this,  and  had 
told  her  to  keep  a  good  countenance  ;  and,  “as  it  seems 
to  me,”  she  added,  “  I  see  indeed  that  I  have  been 
deceived.”  And  then  you,  the  Bishop,  said  to  Jeanne, 
that  now  she  could  certainly  see  her  Voices  to  be  only 
evil  spirits  and  that  they  did  not  come  from  God  ;  for, 
had  they  been  of  such  a  nature,  they  would  never  have 
said  a  false  thing  and  thus  have  lied. 


Maître  Nicolas  Loyseleur,  Master  of  Arts,  Canon 
of  Rouen  and  Chartres,  said  and  declared,  upon  oath,  as 
follows  : 

Wednesday,  the  Vigil  of  the  Feast  of  Corpus  Christi, 
I  repaired  in  the  morning  with  the  venerable  Maître 
Pierre  Maurice,  to  the  place  where  Jeanne,  commonly 
called  the  Maid,  was  detained,  to  exhort  and  admonish 
her  on  the  subject  of  the  salvation  of  her  soul.  She  was 
besought  to  speak  truth  on  the  subject  of  that  Angel 
who,  she  had  declared,  had  brought  to  him  she 


SUBSEQUENT  EXAMINATIONS 


T53 


called  her  King  a  crown,  very  precious,  and  of  the 
purest  gold  :  she  was  pledged  not  to  hide  the  truth, 
inasmuch  as  nothing  more  remained  to  her  but  to  think 
of  her  own  salvation.  Then  I  heard  her  declare  that 
it  was  she  herself  who  had  brought  him  she  called 
her  King  the  crown  in  question  ;  that  it  was  she  who 
was  the  Angel  of  whom  she  had  spoken  ;  and  that  there 
had  been  no  other  Angel  but  herself.  Asked  if  she 
had  really  sent  a  crown  to  him  whom  she  called  her 
King,  she  replied  that  he  had  no  other  crown  but  the 
promise  of  his  coronation — a  promise  she  had  made  in 
giving  to  her  King  the  assurance  that  he  would  be 
crowned.  In  the  presence  of  Maître  Pierre  Maurice, 
of  the  two  Dominicans,  of  you,  the  Bishop,  and  of 
several  others,  I  heard  her  many  times  declare  that 
“  she  had  really  had  revelations  and  apparitions  of 
spirits  ;  that  these  revelations  had  deceived  her  ;  that 
she  recognized  it  in  this,  that  they  had  promised  her 
deliverance,  and  that  she  now  saw  the  contrary  ;  that  she 
was  willing  to  refer  to  the  Clergy  to  know  if  these  spirits 
were  good  or  evil  ;  that  she  did  not  put,  and  would  no 
more  put,  faith  in  them.”  I  exhorted  her,  to  destroy 
the  error  that  she  had  sown  among  the  people,  to 
declare  publicly  that  she  had  herself  been  deceived,  and 
that  through  her  fault  she  had  deceived  the  people  by 
putting  faith  in  these  revelations  and  in  counselling  the 
people  to  believe  in  them  ;  and  I  told  her  it  was 
necessary  that  she  should  humbly  ask  pardon.  She  told 
me  she  would  do  it  willingly,  but  that  she  did  not  think 
she  would  be  able  to  remember,  when  the  proper 
moment  came — that  is  to  say,  when  she  found  herself  in 
the  presence  of  the  people  ;  she  prayed  her  Confessor  to 
remind  her  of  this  point  and  of  all  else  which  might  tend 
to  her  salvation.  From  all  this,  and  from  many  other 
indications,  I  conclude  that  Jeanne  was  then  of  sound 
mind.  She  shewed  great  penitence  and  great  contrition 


*54 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


for  her  crimes.  I  heard  her,  in  the  prison,  in  presence 
of  a  great  number  of  witnesses,  and  subsequently  after 
sentence,  ask,  with  much  contrition  of  heart,  pardon  of 
the  English  and  Burgundians  for  having  caused  to  be 
slain,  beaten,  and  damned,  a  great  number  of  them,  as 
she  recognized. 


Part  II 

THE  REHABILITATION 


In  the  following  Enquiries  and 
Depositions ,  it  has  been  con¬ 
sidered  advisable ,  in  order  to 
avoid  unnecessary  repetitions , 
to  give  extracts  only  from 
certain  of  the  Depositions. 
The  names  of  all  witnesses  are 
given  in  full ’  and  no  evidence 
of  importance  is  omitted. 

In  the  Original ,  the  whole  of  the 
Examination  is  in  French. 

An  Introductory  Note  to  the 
Rehabilitation  will  be  found 
in  the  Appendix  on p.  371. 


THE  FIRST  ENQUIRY:  1449. 

[ The  Kings  Rescript ,  being  a  Letter  of  Commission 
to  Maître  Guillaume  Bouillé ,  was  granted  by  Charles 
VI!.,  for  an  Enquiry  into  the  case  of  Jeanne  d'  Arc. ] 

Examination  of  Witnesses. 

Brother  Jean  Toutmouillé,  of  the  Order  of 
Saint  Dominic,  {Examined,  Jh  day  of  Mardi),  1449.1 

As  to  the  feeling  of  the  Judges  and  those  who  con¬ 
ducted  the  Trial  of  the  said  Jeanne,  I  neither  assisted 
nor  was  I  present  at  the  Trial.  I  can  say  nothing, 
therefore,  as  to  what  I  saw  ;  but  the  common  report  was, 
that  they  persecuted  her  from  desire  of  perverse  ven¬ 
geance,  and  of  this  they  gave  sign  and  appearance. 
For,  before  her  death,  the  English  proposed  to  lay  siege 
to  Louviers  ;  soon,  however,  they  changed  their  purpose, 

1  ‘  Old  style’  is  adopted  throughout  :  thus  1449 's  given  instead  of 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


158 

saying  they  would  not  besiege  the  said  town  until 
the  Maid  had  been  examined.  What  followed  was 
evident  proof  of  this  ;  for,  immediately  after  she  was 
burnt,  they  went  to  besiege  Louviers,  considering  that 
during  her  life  they  could  have  neither  glory  nor  success 
in  deeds  of  war. 

The  day  when  Jeanne  was  delivered  up  to  be 
burned,  I  was  in  the  prison  during  the  morning  with 
Brother  Martin  Ladvenu,  whom  the  Bishop  of  Beauvais 
had  sent  to  her  to  announce  her  approaching  death,  and 
to  induce  in  her  true  contrition  and  penitence,  and  also 
to  hear  her  in  confession.  This  the  said  Ladvenu  did 
most  carefully  and  charitably  ;  and  when  he  announced 
to  the  poor  woman  the  death  she  must  die  that  day,  as 
the  Judge  had  ordained,  aijd  she  heard  of  the  hard  and 
cruel  death  which  was  approaching,  she  began,  in  a  sad 
and  pitiful  manner,  as  one  distraught,  tearing  her  hair, 
to  cry  out  :  “  Alas  !  am  I  to  be  so  horribly  and  cruelly 
treated  ?  Alas  !  that  my  body,  whole  and  entire,  which 
has  never  been  corrupted,  should  to-day  be  consumed 
and  burned  to  ashes  !  Ah  !  I  would  far  rather  have  my 
head  cut  off,  seven  times  over,  than  be  thus  burned  ! 
Alas  !  had  I  been  in  the  ecclesiastical  prison,  to 
which  I  submitted  myself,  and  guarded  by  the  Clergy 
instead  of  by  my  enemies,  it  would  not  have  fallen 
out  so  unhappily  for  me.  I  appeal  to  God,  the  Great 
Judge,  for  the  great  evils  and  injustice  done  to  me  !  ” 

After  these  complaints,  the  aforesaid  Bishop  arrived, 
to  whom  she  at  once  said  :  “  Bishop,  I  die  through 

you.”  And  he  began  to  explain  to  her,  saying  :  “  Ah  ! 
Jeanne,  have  patience  ;  you  die  because  you  have 
not  kept  to  what  you  promised  us,  and  for  having  re¬ 
turned  to  your  first  evil-doing.”  And  the  poor  Maid 
answered  him  :  “Alas,  if  you  had  put  me  in  the  prisons 
of  the  Church  Courts,  and  given  me  into  the  hands 
of  competent  and  suitable  ecclesiastical  guardians,  this 


THE  FIRST  ENQUIRY:  1449  159 

would  not  have  happened  :  for  this  I  summon  you  before 
God.” 

This  done,  I  went  out,  and  heard  no  more. 

Brother  Ysambard  de  la  Pierre,  of  the  Order  of 
Saint  Dominic y  of  the  Convent  at  Rouen. 

On  one  occasion,  I,  with  many  others,  admonished 
and  besought  Jeanne  to  submit  to  the  Church.  To 
which  she  replied  that  she  would  willingly  submit  to  the 
Holy  Father,  requesting  to  be  taken  before  him,  and  to 
be  no  more  submitted  to  the  judgment  of  her  enemies. 
And  when,  at  this  time,  I  counselled  her  to  submit  to 
the  Council  of  Bâle,  Jeanne  asked  what  a  General 

Council  was.  I  answered  her,  that  it  was  an  assembly 

of  the  whole  Church  Universal  and  of  Christendom, 
and  that  in  this  Council  there  were  some  of  her  side 
as  well  as  of  the  English  side.  Having  heard  and 
understood  this,  she  began  to  cry  :  “  Oh  !  if  in  that 
place  there  are  any  of  our  side,  I  am  quite  willing  to 
give  myself  up  and  to  submit  to  the  Council  of  Bâle.” 
And  immediately,  in  great  rage  and  indignation,  the 
Bishop  of  Beauvais  began  to  call  out  :  “  Hold  your 
tongue,  in  the  devil’s  name!”  and  told  the  Notary, 

he  was  to  be  careful  to  make  no  note  of  the  sub¬ 

mission  she  had  made  to  the  General  Council  of  Bâle. 
On  account  of  these  things  and  many  others,  the  English 
and  their  officers  threatened  me  terribly,  so  that,  had  I 
not  kept  silence,  they  would  have  thrown  me  into  the 
Seine. 

After  she  had  recanted  and  abjured,  and  had  resumed 
the  dress  of  a  man,  I  and  many  others  were  present 
when  Jeanne  excused  herself  for  having  dressed  again 
as  a  man,  saying  and  affirming  publicly,  that  the  English 
had  done  or  caused  to  be  done  to  her  great  wrong  and 
violence,  when  she  was  wearing  a  woman’s  dress  ;  and, 
in  truth,  I  saw  her  weeping,  her  face  covered  with  tears, 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


160 

disfigured  and  outraged  in  such  sort  that  I  was  full  of 
pity  and  compassion. 

When  Jeanne  was  proclaimed  an  obstinate  and  re¬ 
lapsed  heretic,  she  replied  publicly  before  all  who  were 
present  :  “If  you,  my  Lords  of  the  Church,  had  placed 
me  and  kept  me  in  your  prisons,  perchance  I  should  not 
have  been  in  this  way.” 

After  the  conclusion  and  end  of  this  session  and  trial, 
the  Lord  Bishop  of  Beauvais  said  to  the  English  who 
were  waiting  outside  :  “  Farewell  ! 1  be  of  good  cheer  : 
it  is  done.” 

Such  difficult,  subtle,  and  crafty  questions  were  asked 
of  and  propounded  to  poor  Jeanne,  that  the  great  clerics 
and  learned  people  present  would  have  found  it  hard 
to  reply  ;  and  at  [these  questions]  many  of  those  present 
murmured. 

I  was  there  myself  with  the  Bishop  of  Avranches,2 
an  aged  and  good  ecclesiastic,  who,  like  the  others,  had 
been  requested  and  prayed  to  give  his  opinion  on  this 
Case.  For  this,  the  Bishop  summoned  me  before  him, 
and  asked  me  what  Saint  Thomas  said  touching  sub¬ 
mission  to  the  Church.  I  sent  the  decision  of  Saint 
Thomas  in  writing  to  the  Bishop  :  “  In  doubtful  things, 
touching  the  Faith,  recourse  should  always  be  had  to 
the  Pope  or  a  General  Council.”  The  good  Bishop  was 
of  this  opinion,  and  seemed  to  be  far  from  content 
with  the  deliberations  that  had  been  made  on  this 
subject.  His  deliberation  was  not  put  into  writing:  it 
was  left  out,  with  bad  intent. 

After  Jeanne  had  confessed  and  partaken  of  the 
Sacrament  of  the  Altar,  sentence  was  given  against  her, 
and  she  was  declared  heretic  and  excommunicate. 

1  The  word  is  given  in  English  in  the  text.  Cauchon  prided  himself  on 
his  knowledge  of  this  language. 

2  Jean  de  Saint  Avit,  formerly  Abbot  of  Saint-Denis,  and,  about  1390, 
Bishop  of  Avranches.  In  1432,  he  was  imprisoned  at  Rouen,  on  suspicion 
of  complicity  with  the  French,  who  wished  to  get  possession  of  the  town. 


THE  FIRST  ENQUIRY  :  1449  161 

I  saw  and  clearly  perceived,  because  I  was  there  all 
the  time,  helping  at  the  whole  deduction  and  conclusion 
of  the  Case,  that  the  secular  Judge  did  not  condemn  her, 
either  to  death  or  to  burning  ;  and  although  the  lay  and 
secular  Judge  had  appeared  and  was  present  in  the  same 
place  where  she  was  last  preached  to  and  given  over  to 
the  secular  authority,  she  was,  entirely  without  judgment 
or  conclusion  of  the  said  Judge,  delivered  into  the  hands 
of  the  executioner,  and  burnt — it  being  said  to  the 
executioner,  simply  and  without  other  sentence  :  “  Do 
thy  duty.” 

Jeanne  had,  at  the  end,  so  great  contrition  and  such 
beautiful  penitence  that  it  was  a  thing  to  be  admired, 
saying  such  pitiful,  devout,  and  Catholic  words,  that 
those  who  saw  her  in  great  numbers  wept,  and  that 
the  Cardinal  of  England  and  many  other  English  were, 
forced  to  weep  and  to  feel  compassion. 

As  I  was  near  her  at  the  end,  the  poor  woman 
besought  and  humbly  begged  me  to  go  into  the  Church 
near  by  and  bring  her  the  Cross,  to  hold  it  upright 
on  high  before  her  eyes  until  the  moment  of  death,  so 
that  the  Cross  on  which  God  was  hanging  might  be  ii? 
life  continually  before  her  eyes. 

Being  in  the  flames,  she  ceased  not  to  call  in  a  loud 
voice  the  Holy  Name  of  Jesus,  imploring  and  invoking 
without  ceasing  the  aid  of  the  Saints  in  Paradise  ; 
again,  what  is  more,  in  giving  up  the  ghost  and  bending 
her  head,  she  uttered  the  Name  of  Jesus  as  a  sign  that 
she  was  fervent  in  the  Faith  of  God,  just  as  we  read  of 
Saint  Ignatius  and  of  many  other  Martyrs. 

Immediately  after  the  execution,  the  executioner  came 
to  me  and  to  my  companion,  Brother  Martin  Ladvenu, 
stricken  and  moved  with  a  marvellous  repentance  and 
terrible  contrition,  quite  desperate  and  fearing  never  to 
obtain  pardon  and  indulgence  from  God  for  what  he 
had  done  to  this  holy  woman.  And  the  executioner  said 

M 


1Ô2 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


and  affirmed  that,  notwithstanding  the  oil,  the  sulphur, 
and  the  charcoal  which  he  had  applied  to  the  entrails  and 
heart  of  the  said  Jeanne,  in  no  way  had  he  been  able  to 
burn  them  up,  nor  reduce  to  cinders  either  the  entrails 
or  the  heart,  at  which  he  was  much  astonished,  as  a  most 
evident  miracle. 

Brother  Martin  Ladvenu,  of  the  Order  of  Saint 
Dominic,  and.  of  the  Convent  of  Saint-Jacques  at  Rouen. 

Many  of  those  who  appeared  in  the  Court  did  so  more 
from  love  of  the  English  and  the  favour  they  bore 
them  than  on  account  of  true  zeal  for  justice  and  the 
Catholic  Faith.  In  the  extreme  prejudice  of  Messire 
Pierre  Cauchon,  Bishop  of  Beauvais,  there  were,  I 
assert,  two  proofs  of  ill-feeling  :  the  first,  when  the 
Bishop,  acting  as  Judge,  commanded  Jeanne  to  be  kept 
in  the  secular  prison  and  in  the  hands  of  her  mortal 
enemies  ;  and  although  he  might  easily  have  had  her 
detained  and  guarded  in  an  ecclesiastical  prison,  yet  he 
allowed  her,  from  the  beginning  of  the  trial  to  the  end, 
to  be  tormented  and  cruelly  treated  in  a  secular  prison. 
Moreover,  at  the  first  session  or  meeting,  the  Bishop 
aforesaid  asked  and  required  the  opinion  of  all  present, 
as  to  whether  it  was  more  suitable  to  detain  her  in  the 
secular  ward  or  in  the  prisons  of  the  Church.  It  was 
decided  as  more  correct  that  she  be  kept  in  ecclesias¬ 
tical  prisons  rather  than  in  the  secular  ;  but  this  the 
Bishop  said  he  would  not  do  for  fear  of  displeasing 
the  English.  The  second  proof  was  that  on  the  day 
when  the  Bishop  and  several  others  declared  her  a 
heretic,  relapsed,  and  returned  to  her  evil  deeds,  because, 
in  prison,  she  had  resumed  a  man’s  dress,  the  Bishop, 
coming  out  of  the  prison,  met  the  Earl  of  Warwick 
and  a  great  many  English  with  him,  to  whom  he 
said,  laughing,  in  a  loud  and  clear  voice:  “Farewell! 


THE  FIRST  ENQUIRY:  1449  163 

farewell  !  it  is  done  ;  be  of  good  cheer,”  or  such-like 
words. 

The  Maid  revealed  to  me  that,  after  her  abjura¬ 
tion  and  recantation,  she  was  violently  treated  in 
the  prison,  molested,  beaten,  and  illused  ;  and  that  an 
English  lord  had  insulted  her.  She  also  said,  publicly, 
that  on  this  account  she  had  resumed  a  man’s  dress  ; 
and,  towards  the  end,  she  said  to  the  Bishop  of  Beauvais  : 
“Alas!  I  die  through  you,  for  had  you  given  me  over 
to  be  kept  in  the  prisons  of  the  Church,  I  should  not 
have  been  here  !  ” 

When  she  had  been  finally  preached  to  in  the  Old 
Market-Place  and  abandoned  to  the  secular  authority, 
although  the  secular  Judges  were  seated  on  the  platform, 
in  no  way  was  she  condemned  by  any  of  these  Judges  ; 
but,  without  being  condemned,  she  was  forced  by  two 
sergeants  to  come  down  from  the  platform  and  was 
taken  by  the  said  sergeants  to  the  place  where  she  was 
to  be  burned,  and  by  them  delivered  into  the  hands  of 
the  executioner. 

And  in  proof  of  this,  a  short  time  after,  one  called 
Georges  Folenfant  was  apprehended  on  account  of  the 
Faith  and  for  the  crime  of  heresy,  and  was  in  the  same 
way  handed  over  to  the  secular  justice.  In  this  case, 
the  Judges — to  wit,  Messire  Louis  de  Luxembourg, 
Archbishop  of  Rouen,  and  Brother  Guillaume  Duval, 
Deputy  of  the  Inquisitor  of  the  Faith — sent  me  to  the 
Bailly  of  Rouen  to  warn  him  that  the  said  Georges 
should  not  be  treated  as  was  the  Maid,  who,  without 
final  sentence  or  definite  judgment,  had  been  burned  in 
the  fire. 

The  executioner,  about  four  hours  after  the  burning, 
said  that  he  had  never  been  so  afraid  in  executing  any 
criminal  as  in  the  burning  of  the  Maid,  and  for  many 
reasons  :  first,  for  her  great  fame  and  renown  ;  secondly, 
for  the  cruel  manner  of  fastening  her  to  the  stake — for 

M  2 


164 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


the  English  had  caused  a  high  scaffold  to  be  made  of 
plaster,  and,  as  the  said  executioner  reported,  he  could 
not  well  or  easily  hasten  matters  nor  reach  her,  at  which 
he  was  much  vexed  and  had  great  compassion  for  the 
cruel  manner  in  which  she  was  put  to  death. 

I  can  testify  to  her  great  and  admirable  contrition, 
repentance,  and  continual  confession,  calling  always  on 
the  Name  of  Jesus,  and  devoutly  invoking  the  Saints 
in  Paradise,  as  also  Brother  Ysambard  hath  already 
deposed,  who  was  with  her  to  the  end,  and  confirmed 
her  in  the  way  of  salvation. 

Brother  Guillaume  Duval,  of  the  Order  of  Saint 
Dominic ,  and  of  the  Convent  of  Saint-Jacques  at  Rouen. 

When  the  trial  of  the  said  Jeanne  took  place,  I  was 
present  at  one  session  with  Brother  Ysambard  de  la 
Pierre  ;  and,  although  we  could  find  no  room  for  our¬ 
selves  in  the  consistory,  we  seated  ourselves  at  the 
middle  of  the  table,  near  to  Jeanne.  When  she  was 
questioned  or  examined,  the  said  Brother  Ysambard 
advised  her  as  to  what  she  should  say,  nudging  her  or 
making  some  other  sign.  After  the  session  was  over,  I 
and  Brother  Ysambard,  with  Maître  Jean  Delafontaine, 
were  deputed  to  visit  her  in  prison  the  same  day  after 
dinner  and  give  her  counsel  ;  we  went  together  to 
the  Castle  of  Rouen,  to  visit  and  admonish  her  ;  and 
there  we  found  the  Earl  of  Warwick,  who  attacked  the 
said  Brother  Ysambard  with  great  anger  and  indignation, 
biting  insults,  and  harsh  epithets,  saying  to  him  :  “  Why 
didst  thou  touch  that  wicked  person  this  morning, 
making  so  many  signs  ?  Mort  Bleu  !  villain  !  if  I  see 
thee  again  taking  trouble  to  deliver  her  and  to  advise 
her  for  her  good,  I  will  have  thee  thrown  into  the 
Seine.”  At  which  I  and  the  other  companion  of  the 
said  Ysambard  fled  for  fear  to  the  Convent. 

I  heard  no  more,  for  I  was  not  present  at  the  Trial. 


THE  FIRST  ENQUIRY:  1449  165 

Maître  Guillaume  Manchon,  Canon  of  the  Collegiate 
Church  of  Notre  Dame  cT Audely  ;  Curé  of  the  Parish 
Church  of  Sainte- Nicolas-le-Peinteur  at  Rouen ,  and 
Notary  of  the  Ecclesiastical  Court  ;  Notary  of  the  Trial 
of  Jeanne ,  from  the  beginning  up  to  the  end ,  and  with 
him  Maître  Guillaume  Colles ,  called  Bois-  Guillaume. 

In  my  opinion,  not  only  those  who  had  charge  of 
instituting  and  conducting  the  Trial — to  wit,  My  Lord 
of  Beauvais  and  the  Masters  sent  for  from  Paris  for  this 
Case — but  also  the  English,  at  whose  instance  the  Trial 
was  undertaken,  proceeded  rather  from  hatred  and  anger 
on  account  of  the  quarrel  with  the  King  of  France, 
than  owing  to  her  support  of  his  party,  and  for  the 
following  reasons  : 

First,  one  named  Maître  Nicolas  Loyseleur,  a 
familiar  of  my  Lord  of  Beauvais,  who  held  altogether 
to  the  English  side — for,  formerly  the  King  being  before 
Chartres,  he  went  to  fetch  the  King  of  England  to  raise 
the  Siege — pretended  that  he  belonged  to  the  Maid’s 
country  ;  by  this  means  he  found  a  way  to  have 
speech  and  familiar  converse  with  her,  telling  her 
news  of  her  country  that  would  please  her.  He  asked  to 
be  her  confessor,  and  of  what  she  told  him  privately 
he  found  means  to  inform  the  Notaries  :  indeed,  at 
the  beginning  of  the  Trial,  I  and  Boisguillaume,  with 
witnesses,  were  put  secretly  in  an  adjoining  room,  where 
there  was  a  hole  through  which  we  could  hear,  in 
order  that  we  might  report  what  she  said  to  Loyseleur. 
As  I  think,  what  the  Maid  said  or  stated  familiarly 
to  Loyseleur  he  reported  to  the  Notaries  ;  and  from  this 
were  made  memoranda  for  questions  in  the  Trial,  to 
find  some  way  of  catching  her  unawares. 

When  the  Trial  had  begun,  Maître  Jean  Lohier,  a 
grave  Norman  Clerk,  came  to  this  Town  of  Rouen, 
and  communication  was  made  to  him  of  what  the  Bishop 


1 66 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


of  Beauvais  had  written  hereon  ;  and  the  said  Lohier 
asked  for  two  or  three  days’  delay  to  look  into  it.  To 
which  he  received  answer  that  he  should  give  his 
opinion  that  afternoon  ;  and  this  he  was  obliged  to  do. 
And  Maître  Jean  Lohier,  when  he  had  seen  the  Process, 
said  it  was  of  no  value,  for  several  reasons  :  first,  because 
it  had  not  the  form  of  an  ordinary  Process  ;  then,  it  was 
carried  on  in  an  enclosed  and  shut-up  place,  where  those 
concerned  were  not  in  full  and  perfect  liberty  to  say 
their  full  will  ;  then,  that  this  matter  dealt  with  the 
honour  of  the  King  of  France,  whose  side  she  [the 
Maid]  supported,  and  that  he  had  not  been  called,  nor 
any  who  were  for  him  ;  then,  neither  legal  document  nor 
articles  had  been  forthcoming,  and  so  there  was  no  guide 
for  this  simple  girl  to  answer  the  Masters  and  Doctors 
on  great  matters,  and  especially  those,  as  she  said,  which 
related  to  her  revelations.  For  these  things,  the  Process 
was,  in  his  opinion,  of  no  value.  At  which  my  Lord  of 
Beauvais  was  very  indignant  against  the  said  Lohier  ; 
and  although  my  Lord  of  Beauvais  told  him  that  he 
might  remain  to  see  the  carrying  out  of  the  Trial,  Lohier 
replied  that  he  would  not  do  so.  And  immediately  my 
Lord  of  Beauvais,  then  lodging  in  the  house  where  now 
lives  Maître  Jean  Bidaut,  near  Saint  Nicolas-le-Peinteur, 
came  to  the  Masters — to  wit,  Maître  Jean  Beaupère, 
Maître  Jacques  de  Touraine,  Nicolas  Midi,  Pierre 
Maurice,  Thomas  de  Courcelles,  and  Loyseleur — and 
said  to  them  :  “  This  Lohier  wants  to  put  fine  questions 
into  our  Process  :  he  would  find  fault  with  everything, 
and  says  it  is  of  no  value.  If  we  were  to  believe  him, 
everything  must  be  begun  again,  and  all  we  have  done 
would  be  worth  nothing  !  ”  And,  after  stating  the 
grounds  on  which  Lohier  found  fault,  my  Lord  of 
Beauvais  added  :  “It  is  clear  enough  on  which  foot  he 
limps.  By  Saint  John  !  we  will  do  nothing  in  the  matter, 
but  will  go  on  with  our  Process  as  it  is  begun  !  ”  This 


167 


THE  FIRST  ENQUIRY  :  1449 

was  on  a  Saturday  afternoon  in  Lent  ;  and  the  next 
morning  I  spoke  with  the  said  Lohier  at  the  Church  of 
Notre  Dame  at  Rouen,  and  asked  him  what  he  thought 
of  the  said  Trial  and  of  Jeanne  ?  He  replied  :  “You 
see  the  way  they  are  proceeding.  They  will  take  her, 
if  they  can,  in  her  words — as  in  assertions  where  she 
says,  ‘  I  know  for  certain ,’  as  regards  the  apparitions  ; 
but  if  she  said,  ‘  /  think  ’  instead  of  the  words  ‘  /  know 
for  certain  ’  it  is  my  opinion  that  no  man  could  condemn 
her.  It  seems  they  act  rather  from  hate  than  otherwise  ; 
and  for  that  reason,  I  will  not  stay  here,  for  I  have  no  desire 
to  be  in  it.”  And  in  truth  he  thenceforward  lived  always 
at  the  Court  of  Rome,  where  he  died  Dean  of  Appeals.1 

At  the  beginning  of  the  Trial,  because  I  was 
putting  in  writing  for  five  or  six  days  the  answers  and 
excuses  of  the  said  Maid,  the  Judges  several  times 
wished  to  compel  me,  speaking  in  Latin,  to  put  them  in 
other  terms,  by  changing  the  sense  of  her  words  or  in 
other  ways  such  as  I  had  not  heard.  By  command  of 
the  Bishop  of  Beauvais,  two  men  were  placed  at  a 
window  near  where  the  Judges  sat,  with  a  curtain 
across  the  window,  so  that  they  could  not  be  seen. 
These  two  men  wrote  and  reported  what  there  was 
in  the  charge  against  Jeanne,  keeping  silence  as  to 
her  excuses  ;  and,  in  my  opinion,  this  was  Loyseleur. 
After  the  sitting  was  over,  in  the  afternoon,  while  com¬ 
paring  notes  of  what  had  been  written,  the  two  others 
reported  differently  from  me,  and  had  put  in  none  of  the 
excuses  ;  at  which  my  Lord  of  Beauvais  was  greatly  angry 
with  me.  2  Where  Nota  is  written  in  the  Process  there 
was  disagreement,  and  questions  had  to  be  made  upon 
it  ;  and  it  was  found  that  what  I  had  written  was  true. 

In  writing  the  said  Process,  I  was  often  opposed  by 

1  “  Doyen  de  la  Rote  ” — Court  of  Appeals  at  Rome. 

2  On  the  Minute  of  Manchon,  which  was  in  the  hands  of  the  Judges  of  the 
Rehabilitation  in  1455. 


1 68 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


my  Lord  of  Beauvais  and  the  Masters,  who  wanted  to 
compel  me  to  write  according  to  their  fancy,  and  against 
what  I  had  myself  heard.  And  when  there  was  some¬ 
thing  which  did  not  please  them,  they  forbade  it  to  be 
written,  saying  that  it  did  not  serve  the  Process  ;  but  I 
nevertheless  wrote  only  according  to  my  hearing  and 
knowledge. 

Maître  Jean  Delafontaine,  from  the  beginning  of  the 
Trial  up  to  the  week  after  Easter,  1431,  took  the  place 
of  my  Lord  of  Beauvais,  to  interrogate  her,  in  the 
absence  of  the  Bishop  ;  and  was  always  present  with  the 
Bishop  in  the  conduct  of  the  said  Trial.  And  when  the 
time  came  that  the  Maid  was  summoned  to  submit  her¬ 
self  to  the  Church  by  this  same  Delafontaine,  and  by 
Brothers  Ysambard  de  la  Pierre  and  Martin  Ladvenu, 
they  advised  her  that  she  should  believe  in,  and  rely  on, 
our  Lord  the  Pope  and  those  who  preside  in  the  Church 
Militant  ;  and  that  she  should  make  no  question  about 
submitting  to  our  Holy  Father  the  Pope  and  to  the  Holy 
Council  ;  for  that  there  were  among  them  as  many  of  her 
own  side  as  of  the  other,  many  of  them  notable  Clerics, 
and  that  if  she  did  not  do  this,  she  would  put  herself  in 
great  danger.  The  day  after  she  had  been  thus  advised, 
she  said  that  she  wished  certainly  to  submit  to  our  Holy 
Father  the  Pope  and  to  the  Holy  Council.  When  my 
Lord  of  Beauvais  heard  this,  he  asked  who  had  spoken 
with  the  Maid.  The  Guard  replied  that  it  was  Maître 
Delafontaine,  his  lieutenant,  and  the  two  Friars.  And  at 
this,  in  the  absence  of  the  said  Delafontaine  and  the 
Friars,  the  Bishop  was  much  enraged  against  Maître 
Jean  Lemaître,  the  Deputy  Inquisitor,  and  threatened  to 
do  him  an  injury.  And  when  Delafontaine  knew  that 
he  was  threatened  for  this  reason,  he  departed  from 
Rouen,  and  did  not  again  return.  And  as  for  the  Friars, 
they  would  have  been  in  peril  of  death,  but  for  the  said 
Lemaître,  who  excused  them  and  besought  for  them, 


169 


THE  FIRST  ENQUIRY  :  i449 

saying  that  if  any  harm  were  done  to  them,  he  would 
never  again  come  to  the  Trial.  And,  from  that  time, 
the  Earl  of  Warwick  forbade  any  one  to  visit  the  Maid, 
except  the  Bishop  of  Beauvais  or  those  sent  by  him  ;  and 
the  Deputy  Inquisitor  was  not  allowed  to  go  without  him. 

At  the  end  of  the  sermon  at  Saint  Ouen,  after  the 
abjuration  of  the  Maid,  because  Loyseleur  said  to  her, 
“Jeanne,  you  have  done  a  good  day’s  work,  if  it  please 
God,  and  have  saved  your  soul,”  she  demanded,  “  Now, 
some  among  you  people  of  the  Church,  lead  me  to  your 
prisons,  that  I  may  no  longer  be  in  the  hands  of  the 
English.”  To  which  my  Lord  of  Beauvais  replied, 
“  Lead  her  back  whence  she  was  taken  !”  For  this 
reason  she  was  taken  back  to  the  Castle  which  she  had 
left.  The  following  Sunday,  which  was  Trinity  Sunday, 
the  Masters,  Notaries,  and  others  concerned  in  this 
Trial  were  summoned  ;  and  we  were  told  that  she  had 
resumed  her  man’s  dress  and  had  relapsed  ;  and  when 
we  came  to  the  Castle,  in  the  absence  of  my  Lord 
of  Beauvais,  there  came  upon  us  eighty  or  a  hundred 
English  soldiers,  or  thereabouts,  who  spoke  to  us  in  the 
courtyard  of  the  Castle,  telling  us  that  all  of  us  Clergy 
were  deceitful,  traitorous  Armagnacs  and  false  counsel¬ 
lors  ;  so  that  we  had  great  trouble  to  escape  and  get 
out  of  the  Castle,  and  did  nothing  for  that  day.  The 
following  day  I  was  summoned  ;  but  I  replied  that  I 
would  not  go  if  I  had  not  a  surety,  on  account  of  the 
fright  I  had  had  the  day  before  ;  and  I  would  not  have 
gone  back  if  one  of  the  followers  of  my  Lord  of  Warwick 
had  not  been  sent  as  a  surety.  And  thus  I  returned, 
and  was  at  the  continuation  of  the  Trial,  up  to  the  end — 
except  that  I  was  not  at  a  certain  examination  made  by 
people  who  had  spoken  with  her  privately,1  as  privileged 

1  This  was  the  Examination  called  the  Acta  Posterius ,  which,  though 
included  by  Cauchon  in  the  Process,  is  not  signed  by  the  Official  Registrars, 
Manchon,  Boisguillaume,  and  Taquel. 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


170 

persons  ;  nevertheless,  the  Bishop  of  Beauvais  wanted  to 
compel  me  to  sign,  and  this  I  would  not  do. 

I  saw  Jeanne  led  to  the  scaffold;1  and  there  were 
seven  or  eight  hundred  soldiers  around  her,  bearing 
swords  and  staves  ;  so  that  no  one  was  so  bold  as  to  speak 
to  her  except  Brother  Martin  Ladvenu  and  Maître  Jean 
Massieu. 

Patiently  did  she  hear  the  sermon  right  through  ; 
afterwards  she  repeated  her  thanksgiving,  prayers,  and 
lamentations  most  notably  and  devoutly,  in  such 
manner  that  the  Judges,  Prelates,  and  all  present  were 
provoked  to  much  weeping,  seeing  her  make  these  pitiful 
regrets  and  sad  complaints.  Never  did  I  weep  more 
for  anything  that  happened  to  me  ;  and,  for  a  month 
afterwards,  I  could  not  feel  at  peace.  For  which  reason, 
with  a  part  of  the  money  I  had  for  my  services  I  bought 
a  little  Missal,  so  that  I  might  have  it  and  might  pray 
for  her.  In  regard  to  final  repentance,  I  never  saw 
greater  signs  of  a  Christian. 

I  remember  that  at  the  sermon  given  at  Saint  Ouen 
by  Maître  Guillaume  Erard,  among  other  words  were  said 
and  uttered  these  :  “  Ah  !  noble  House  of  France,  which 
hath  always  been  the  protectress  of  the  Faith,  hast  thou 
been  so  abused  that  thou  dost  adhere  to  a  heretic  and 
schismatic  ?  It  is  indeed  a  great  misfortune.”  To  which 
the  Maid  made  answer,  what  I  do  not  remember,  except 
that  she  gave  great  praise  to  her  King,  saying  that  he 

1  Jeanne  was  burnt  in  the  Market  Place  at  Rouen,  where  an  inscribed 
stone  marks  the  site.  It  is  stated  that  the  execution  took  place  in  front  of 
the  Church  of  St.  Sauveur,  and  facing  the  principal  street  which  leads 
to  the  Market  Place,  thus  accommodating  a  larger  number  of  ^spectators 
than  was  possible  in  any  other  part  of  the  Place. 

There  is  still  some  dispute  as  to  the  actual  spot  ;  but  as  the  Cemetery 
was  religious  ground  and  the  execution  was,  nominally  at  least,  a  secular 
one,  the  ground  chosen  must  have  been  on  land  belonging  to  the  municipality 
of  Rouen.  Probably  this  was  in  the  Marché  aux  Veaux,  as  we  find  an  order 
for  the  burning  of  a  heretic  there  in  1522,  '•'‘lieu  accoutumé  faire  telles 
exécutions 


THE  FIRST  ENQUIRY:  1449  17 1 

was  the  best  and  wisest  Christian  in  the  world.  At 
which  Erard  and  my  Lord  of  Beauvais  ordered  Massieu, 
“  Make  her  keep  silence.” 

Maître  Jean  Massieu,  Priest ,  Curé  of  one  of  the 
Divisions  of  the  Parish  Church  of  Saint-Caudres  at 
Rouen ,  formerly  Dean  of  the  Christendom  of  Rouen. 

I  was  at  the  Trial  of  the  said  Jeanne  on  every  occasion 
when  she  was  present  before  the  Judges  and  Clerics  ; 
and,  on  account  of  my  office,  I  was  appointed  a  Clerk  to 
Maître  Jean  Benedicite,1  Promoter  in  this  Action.  I 
believe,  from  what  I  saw,  that  the  proceedings  were 
taken  out  of  hatred  and  in  order  to  abase  the  honour  of 
the  King  of  France  whom  she  served,  and  to  wreak 
vengeance  and  bring  her  to  death,  not  according  to  reason 
and  for  the  honour  of  God  and  of  the  Catholic  Faith. 
I  say  this,  because  when  my  Lord  of  Beauvais,  who  was 
Judge  in  the  Case,  accompanied  by  six  Clerics — namely, 
Beaupère,  Midi,  Maurice,  Touraine,  Courcelles,  and 
Feuillet,  or  some  other  in  his  place — first  questioned 
her,  before  she  had  answered  one  of  them,  another  of 
those  present  would  interpose  another  question,  by 
which  she  was  often  hurried  and  troubled  in  her  answers. 
And,  besides,  as  I  was  leading  Jeanne  many  times  from 
her  prison  to  the  Court,  and  passed  before  the  Chapel  of 
the  Castle,  at  Jeanne’s  request,  I  suffered  her  to  make 
her  devotions  in  passing  ;  and  I  was  often  reproved  by 
the  said  Benedicite,  the  Promoter,  who  said  to  me  : 
“Traitor!  what  makes  thee  so  bold  as  to  permit  this 
Excommunicate  to  approach  without  permission  ?  I  will 
have  thee  put  in  a  tower  where  thou  shalt  see  neither 
sun  nor  moon  for  a  month,  if  thou  dost  so  again.”  And 
when  the  Promoter  saw  that  I  did  not  obey  him,  the  said 
Benedicite  placed  himself  many  times  before  the  door  of 

1  Cognomen  given  to  the  Promoter,  d’Estivet. 


172 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


the  Chapel,  between  me  and  Jeanne,  to  prevent  her  say¬ 
ing  her  prayers  before  the  Chapel,  and  asked  expressly 
of  Jeanne  :  “  Is  this  the  Body  of  Christ  ?”  When  I  was 
taking  her  back  to  prison,  the  fourth  or  fifth  day,  a  priest 
named  Maître  Eustace  Turquetil,  asked  me:  “What 
dost  thou  think  of  her  answers  ?  will  she  be  burned  ? 
what  will  happen  ?”  and  I  replied  :  “  Up  to  this  time  I 
have  seen  in  her  only  good  and  honour  ;  but  I  do  not 
know  what  will  happen  in  the  end,  God  knows  !  ”  Which 
answer  was  reported  by  the  said  priest  to  the  King’s 
people  ;  and  it  was  said  that  I  was  opposed  to  the  King. 
On  this  account,  I  was  summoned,  in  the  afternoon,  by 
the  Lord  of  Beauvais,  the  Judge,  and  was  spoken  to  of 
these  things  and  told  to  be  careful  to  make  no  mistake, 
or  I  should  be  made  to  drink  more  than  was  good  for 
me.  I  think  that,  unless  the  Notary  Manchon  had 
made  excuses  for  me,  I  should  not  have  escaped. 

When  Jeanne  was  taken  to  Saint-Ouen  to  be  preached 
to  by  Maître  Guillaume  Erard,  at  about  the  middle  of 
the  sermon,  after  she  had  been  admonished  by  the  words 
of  the  preacher,  he  began  to  cry  out,  in  a  loud  voice, 
saying,  “Ah!  France,  thou  art  much  abused,  thou  hast 
always  been  the  most  Christian  country  ;  and  Charles, 
who  calls  himself  thy  King  and  Governor,  hath  joined 
himself,  as  a  heretic  and  schismatic,  which  he  is,  to  the 
words  and  deeds  of  a  worthless  woman,  defamed  and 
full  of  dishonour  ;  and  not  only  he,  but  all  the  Clergy 
within  his  jurisdiction  and  lordship,  by  whom  she  hath 
been  examined  and  not  reproved,  as  she  hath  said.” 
Two  or  three  times  he  repeated  these  words  about  the 
King  ;  and,  at  last,  addressing  himself  to  Jeanne  he  said, 
raising  his  finger  :  “  It  is  to  thee,  Jeanne,  that  I  speak,  I 
tell  thee  that  thy  King  is  a  heretic  and  schismatic  !”  To 
which  she  replied  :  “  By  my  faith  !  sir,  saving  your 
reverence,  I  dare  say  and  swear,  on  pain  of  death,  that 
he  is  the  most  noble  of  all  Christians,  and  the  one  who 


i73 


THE  FIRST  ENQUIRY:  1449 

most  loves  the  Faith  of  the  Church,  and  he  is  not  what 
you  say.”  And  then  the  preacher  said  to  me  :  “  Make 
her  keep  silence.” 

Jeanne  never  had  any  Counsel.1  I  remember  that 
Loyseleur  was  one  appointed  to  counsel  her.  He  was 
against  her,  rather  deceiving  than  helping  her. 

The  said  Érard,  at  the  end  of  his  sermon,  read  a 
schedule  containing  the  Articles  which  he  was  inciting 
Jeanne  to  abjure  and  revoke.  To  which  Jeanne  replied, 
that  she  did  not  understand  what  abjuring  was,  and 
that  she  asked  advice  about  it.  Then  Érard  told  me  to 
give  her  counsel  about  it.  After  excusing  myself  for 
doing  this,  I  told  her  it  meant  that,  if  she  opposed  any 
of  the  said  Articles,  she  would  be  burned.  I  advised 
her  to  refer  to  the  Church  Universal  as  to  whether  she 
should  abjure  the  said  Articles  or  not.  And  this  she  did, 
saying  in  a  loud  voice  to  Érard  :  “  I  refer  me  to  the 
Church  Universal,  as  to  whether  I  shall  abjure  or  not.” 
To  this  the  said  Érard  replied:  “You  shall  abjure  at 
once,  or  you  shall  be  burned.”  And,  indeed,  before  she 
left  the  Square,  she  abjured,  and  made  a  cross  with  a  pen 
which  I  handed  to  her. 

At  the  end  of  the  sermon,  I  advised  Jeanne  to  ask 
that  she  might  be  taken  to  the  prisons  of  the  Church  : 
and  it  was  right  she  should  be  taken  to  the  Church 
prisons,  because  the  Church  had  condemned  her. 
And  this  thing  was  asked  of  the  Bishop  of  Beauvais  by 
some  of  those  present,  whose  names  I  do  not  know.  To 
which  the  Bishop  replied:  “Take  her  to  the  Castle 
whence  she  came.”  And  so  it  was  done.  That  day, 
after  dinner,  in  the  presence  of  the  Counsel  of  the  Church, 
she  took  off  her  man’s  dress  and  put  on  a  woman’s  dress, 
as  she  was  commanded.  This  was  on  the  Thursday  or 
Friday  after  Pentecost  ;  and  the  man’s  dress  was  put  in 

1  At  the  beginning  of  the  Trial,  Jeanne  had  asked  for  Counsel,  and  it  had 
been  refused. 


174 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


a  bag  in  the  same  room  where  she  was  kept  prisoner, 
while  she  remained  guarded  in  this  place,  in  the  hands 
of  five  of  the  English,  three  of  whom  stayed  all  night  in 
the  room,  and  two  outside  the  door  of  the  room.  I  know 
of  a  surety  that  at  night  she  slept  chained  by  the  legs 
with  two  pairs  of  iron  chains,  and  fastened  closely  to  a 
chain  going  across  the  foot  of  her  bed,  held  to  a  great 
piece  of  wood,  five  or  six  feet  long,  and  closed  with  a 
key,  so  that  she  could  not  move  from  her  place.  When 
the  following  Sunday  came,  being  Trinity  Sunday, 
and  when  it  was  time  to  rise,  as  she  reported  and 
said  to  me,  she  asked  the  English  guards  :  “  Take 
off  my  irons  that  I  may  get  up.”  Then  one  of  the 
English  took  away  from  her  the  woman’s  garments 
which  she  had  on  her,  and  they  emptied  the  bag  in 
which  was  her  man’s  dress,  and  threw  the  said  dress  at 
her,  saying  to  her  :  “  Get  up,  and  put  the  woman’s  dress 
in  the  bag.”  And,  in  accordance  with  what  he  said,  she 
dressed  herself  in  the  man’s  dress  they  had  given  her, 
saying:  “Sirs,  you  know  it  is  forbidden  me;  without 
fail,  I  will  not  take  it  again.”  Nevertheless,  they 
would  not  give  her  the  other,  insomuch  that  the  con¬ 
tention  lasted  till  mid-day,  and,  finally,  she  was  compelled 
to  take  the  said  dress  ;  afterwards,  they  would  not  give 
up  the  other,  whatever  supplications  or  prayers  she 
might  make. 

This  she  told  me  on  the  Tuesday  following,  before 
dinner,  on  which  day  the  Promoter  had  departed  in 
company  with  the  Earl  of  Warwick,  and  I  was  alone 
with  her.  Immediately  I  asked  her  why  she  had 
resumed  a  man’s  dress,  and  she  told  me  what  I  have 
just  related. 

I  was  not  at  the  Castle  on  the  Sunday,  but  I  met  near 
the  Castle  those  who  had  been  summoned,  much  over¬ 
whelmed  and  affrighted.  They  said  they  had  been 
furiously  driven  back  by  the  English  with  axes  and 


ll  s 


THE  FIRST  ENQUIRY:  1449 

swords,  and  called  traitors,  and  otherwise  insulted.  On 
the  following  Wednesday,  the  day  she  was  condemned, 
and  before  she  left  the  Castle,  the  Body  of  Christ  was 
borne  to  her  irreverently,  without  stole  and  lights,  at 
which  Brother  Martin,  who  had  confessed  her,  was  ill- 
content,  and  so  a  stole  and  lights  were  sent  for,  and  thus 
Brother  Martin  administered  It  to  her.  And  this  done, 
she  was  led  to  the  Old  Market-Place,  and  by  her  side 
were  Brother  Martin  and  myself,  accompanied  by 
more  than  800  soldiers,  with  axes  and  swords.  And 
being  in  the  Old  Market-Place,  after  the  sermon, 
during  which  she  showed  great  patience  and  listened 
most  quietly,  she  evinced  many  evidences  and  clear 
proofs  of  her  contrition,  penitence,  and  fervent  faith,  if 
only  by  her  pitiful  and  devout  lamentations  and  invoca¬ 
tions  of  the  Blessed  Trinity  and  the  Blessed  and  Glorious 
Virgin  Mary,  and  all  the  Blessed  Saints  in  Paradise — 
naming  specially  certain  of  these  Saints  :  in  which 
devotions,  lamentations,  and  true  confession  of  faith, 
she  besought  mercy  also,  most  humbly,  from  all  manner 
of  people  of  whatever  condition  or  estate  they  might  be, 
of  her  own  party  as  well  as  of  the  other,  begging  them 
to  pray  for  her,  forgiving  them  the  harm  they  had  done 
her,  [and  thus]  she  persevered  and  continued  as  long 
a  space  of  time  as  half-an-hour,  and  up  to  the  very  end. 

When  she  was  given  over  by  the  Church,  I  was  still 
with  her  ;  and  with  great  devotion  she  asked  to  have  a 
Cross  :  and,  hearing  this,  an  Englishman,  who  was  there 
present,  made  a  little  cross  of  wood  with  the  ends  of  a 
stick,  which  he  gave  her,  and  devoutly  she  received  and 
kissed  it,  making  piteous  lamentations  and  acknowledg¬ 
ments  to  God,  Our  Redeemer,  Who  had  suffered  on  the 
Cross  for  our  Redemption,  of  Whose  Cross  she  had  the 
sign  and  symbol  ;  and  she  put  the  said  Cross  in  her 
bosom,  between  her  person  and  her  clothing.  And, 
besides,  she  asked  me  humbly  that  I  would  get  for  her 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


176 

the  Church  Cross,  so  that  she  might  see  it  continually 
until  death.  And  I  got  the  Clerk  of  the  Parish  of 
Saint-Sauveur  to  bring  it  to  her  ;  the  which,  being 
brought,  she  embraced  closely  and  long,  and  kept  it  till 
she  was  fastened  to  the  stake.  While  she  was  making 
these  devotions  and  pious  lamentations,  I  was  much 
hurried  by  the  English  and  even  by  some  of  their 
Captains,  who  wished  me  to  leave  her  in  their  hands, 
that  she  might  be  put  to  death  the  sooner,  saying  to  me, 
when  I  was  trying  to  console  her  on  the  scaffold  : 
“What,  Priest!  will  you  have  us  dine  here?”  And 
immediately,  without  any  form  or  proof  of  judgment, 
they  sent  her  to  the  fire,  saying  to  the  executioner  : 
“  Do  thine  office  !  ”  And  thus  she  was  led  and  fastened 
[to  the  stake],  continuing  her  praises  and  devout 
lamentations  to  God  and  His  Saints,  and  with  her  last 
word,  in  dying,  she  cried,  with  a  loud  voice  :  “  Jesus  !  ” 

Maître  Jean  Beaupère,  Master  in  Theology ,  Canon 
of  Rouen. 

With  regard  to  the  apparitions  mentioned  in  the  Trial 
of  the  said  Jeanne,  I  held,  and  still  hold,  the  opinion 
that  they  rose  more  from  natural  causes  and  human 
intent  than  from  anything  supernatural  ;  but  I  would 
refer  principally  to  the  Process. 

Before  she  was  taken  to  Saint-Ouen,  to  be  preached 
to  in  the  morning,  I  went  alone,  by  permission,  into 
Jeanne’s  prison,  and  warned  her  that  she  would  soon  be 
led  to  the  scaffold  to  be  preached  to,  telling  her  that,  if 
she  were  a  good  Christian,  she  would  say  on  the  scaffold 
that  she  placed  all  her  deeds  and  words  in  the  ordering 
of  Our  Holy  Mother  Church,  and  especially  of  the 
Ecclesiastical  Judges.  And  this  did  she  say  on  the 
scaffold,  being  thereto  requested  by  Maître  Nicolas 
Midi.  This  being  noted  and  considered,  she  was  for 


177 


THE  FIRST  ENQUIRY:  1449 

a  time  sent  back,  after  her  abjuration  ;  although  some  of 
the  English  accused  the  Bishop  of  Beauvais  and  the 
Delegates  from  Paris  of  favouring  Jeanne’s  errors. 

After  this  abjuration,  and  after  taking  her  woman’s 
dress  which  she  received  in  prison,  it  was  reported  to  the 
Judges  on  the  Friday  or  Saturday  following  that  Jeanne 
had  repented  of  having  put  off  a  man’s  dress  and 
had  taken  a  woman’s  dress.  On  this  account,  my  Lord 
of  Beauvais  sent  me  and  Maître  Nicolas  Midi  to  her, 
hoping  that  we  should  speak  to  Jeanne  and  induce  and 
admonish  her  to  persevere  in  the  good  intent  she  had  on 
the  scaffold,  and  that  she  should  be  careful  not  to  relapse. 
But  we  could  not  find  the  keeper  of  the  prison  key,1 
and,  while  we  were  waiting  for  the  prison  guard,  several 
of  the  English,  who  were  in  the  courtyard  of  the  Castle, 
spoke  threatening  words,  as  Maître  Nicolas  Midi  told 
me,  to  the  effect  that  he  who  would  throw  both  of  us 
into  the  water  would  be  well  employed.  And,  hearing 
these  words,  we  returned  ;  and,  on  the  bridge  of  the 
Castle,  Midi  heard,  as  he  reported  to  me,  like  words 
used  by  others  of  the  English  ;  at  which  we  were  much 
frightened,  and  went  away  without  speaking  to  Jeanne. 

As  to  her  innocence,  Jeanne  was  very  subtle  with  the 
subtlety  of  a  woman,  as  I  consider.  I  did  not  under¬ 
stand  from  any  words  of  hers  that  she  had  been 
violated. 

As  to  her  final  penitence,  I  do  not  know  what  to  say, 
for,  on  the  Monday  after2  the  abjuration,  I  left  Rouen 
to  go  to  Basle, “  on  the  part  of  the  University  of  Paris. 
Through  this  I  knew  nothing  of  her  condemnation  until 
I  heard  it  spoken  of  at  Lisle  in  Flanders. 

1  There  were  three  keys  to  the  prison,  one  being  in  the  possession  of 
the  Promoter,  one  of  the  Inquisitor,  and  one  belonging  to  the  Cardinal. 

2  May  28th. 

3  To  the  Schismatic  Council,  then  being  held  at  Basle. 


N 


THE  SECOND  ENQUIRY1:  1452, 
AND  THIRD  ENQUIRY:  1455-6. 


[A  Rescript  was  issued  by  Pope  Calixtus  III.  ordering 
the  Procedure  of  Revision  for  the  Enquiry  of  1455-6.] 

Examination  of  Witnesses. 

Manchon  :  Second  Examination ,  2nd  May ,  1452. 
\_Additional  statements  :] 

T  have  heard  that  after  Jeanne  was  taken  captive  by 
one  of  the  company  of  the  Count  de  Ligny,  she  was 
taken  to  the  Castle  of  Beaurevoir  and  detained  there  three 
months  ;  and  then,  by  letters  from  the  King  of  England 
to  my  Lord  of  Beauvais,  she  was  taken  to  Rouen  and 
put  in  prison. 

The  Bishop  of  Beauvais  held  with  the  English  ;  and, 
before  he  took  cognizance  of  the  Case,  Jeanne  was 
put  in  irons  :  after  he  had  informed  himself,  Jeanne, 
thus  fettered,  was  given  over  to  the  custody  of  four 
English,  although  the  Bishop  and  the  Inquisitor  had 
stated  and  sworn  that  they  would  themselves  faithfully 
keep  her.  Jeanne  was  treated  with  cruelty,  and,  towards 
the  end  of  the  Trial,  was  shown  the  torture. 

1  Articles  for  Examination  of  Witnesses  in  the  Second  Enquiry  of  1452 
were  prepared  under  the  direction  of  Cardinal  d’Estouteville  and  Brother 
Jean  Bréhal,  Inquisitor.  The  witnesses  were  examined  on  twelve  questions. 
Articles  were  also  prepared  under  the  direction  of  Philippe  de  Rose, 
Delegate  for  Cardinal  d’Estouteville,  the  witnesses  being  examined  on 
twenty-seven  questions. 


SAINT  LUCIEN  TOWER,  BEAUVAIS. 

Jeanne  is  said  to  have  passed  a  night  in  this  tower  on  August  20,  1429. 


SECOND  AND  THIRD  ENQUIRIES  179 

And  thus  she  put  on  man’s  clothing-  and  lamented  that 
she  did  not  dare  to  doff  these,  fearing  that  at  night  the 
guards  might  attempt  some  violence  ;  and  once  or  twice 
complaint  was  made  to  the  Bishop  of  Beauvais,  to  the 
Sub- Inquisitor,  and  to  Maître  Nicolas  Loyseleur  that 
some  of  these  guards  had  attempted  to  assault  her.  The 
Earl  of  Warwick,  at  the  statement  of  the  Bishop,  the 
Inquisitor,  and  Loyseleur,  uttered  strong  threats  should 
they  again  presume  to  attempt  this  ;  and  two  other 
guards  were  appointed. 

I,  as  notary,  wrote  Jeanne’s  answers  and  defence. 
Two  or  three  writers,  who  were  secretly  ensconced  near, 
omitted,  in  their  writing,  all  that  was  in  her  favour. 

The  Judges  desired  me  to  write  also  in  such  wise, 
but  I  refused. 


Third  Examination ,  Zth  May ,  1452.  [. Additional 

statements  .•] 

I  acted  as  notary  in  the  Process,  by  compulsion  of  the 
Great  Council  of  the  King  of  England,  not  daring  to 
contradict  their  order.  The  Bishop  of  Beauvais  was 
not  compelled  to  take  up  the  Process  against  Jeanne. 
He  did  it  of  free-will.  The  Inquisitor  was  summoned 
c  nd  dared  not  refuse.  The  Process  was  carried  out  by 
the  English  at  their  expense.  The  Promoter  also 
was  not  compelled,  but  came  of  free-will.  The  Assessors 
and  Doctors  were  summoned  and  dared  not  refuse. 

[W:th  regard  to  the  comparison  of  the  writing  of  the 
conceded  clerks  and  the  notaries,  he  adds  that]  the 
comparison  of  notes  was  made  in  the  house  of  the 
Bishop. 

Jeanne  answered  prudently  and  with  simplicity,  as 
might  be  seen  in  the  Process.  She  could  not  have 
defended  herself  before  such  great  Doctors  had  she 
not  been  inspired.  The  examination  lasted  for  two  or 


N  2 


i8o 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


three  hours  in  the  morning,  and  sometimes  as  long  again 
in  the  afternoon  of  the  same  day.  She  was  much 
fatigued  by  the  examination,  for  the  examiners  put  to 
her  the  most  subtle  questions  they  possibly  could. 

The  original  Process  was  written  by  me  faithfully,  in 
French,  after  the  first  session.  Later,  I  believe  it  was 
faithfully  translated  into  Latin.  During  the  Process,  and 
almost  up  to  the  close,  Jeanne  had  no  Counsel.  I  do  not 
remember  if  she  asked  for  one  ;  but,  towards  the  end, 
she  had  Maître  Pierre  Maurice  and  a  Carmelite  to 
direct  and  instruct  her. 

On  the  day  of  her  death,  before  the  sermon  and  ere 
she  left  the  Castle,  she  received  the  Body  of  the  Lord 
by  the  order  of  the  Judges,  at  her  own  request. 

She  was  taken  to  the  place  of  execution  by  a  large 
number  of  soldiers — nearly  four  score.  After  the  eccle¬ 
siastical  sentence  had  been  pronounced,  and  Jeanne 
given  up,  she  was  taken  over  to  the  Bailly,  there 
present,  who,  without  any  consultation  or  sentence, 
made  a  sign  with  his  hand,  saying:  “  Take  her  away  ! 
Take  her  away  !  ” 

Fourth  Examination ,  ijth  December ,  1455.  [Addi¬ 
tional  statements  /] 

The  sum  of  a  thousand  pounds,  or  crowns,  was  given 
by  the  King  of  England  for  the  surrender  of  the  Maid  ; 
and  an  annuity  of  300  pounds  to  the  soldier  of  the  Duke 
of  Burgundy  who  had  captured  her. 

I  was  appointed  notary  in  the  Trial,  together  with  a 
certain  Guillaume  Boisguillaume. 

The  copy  of  the  Process  shewn  to  me  is  the 
true  Copy  made.  I  acknowledge  my  own  and  my 
companion’s  signatures,  and  that  it  is  the  truth.  Two 
other  copies  were  made.  One  was  given  to  the  In¬ 
quisitor,  one  to  the  King  of  England,  and  one  to  the 


SECOND  AND  THIRD  ENQUIRIES  1 8 1 

Bishop  of  Beauvais.  This  Process  was  made  from  a 
certain  Minute  written  in  French,  by  my  own  hand, 
which  was  given  up  to  the  Judges,  and  was  afterwards 
translated  from  the  French  into  Latin  by  Monsieur 
Thomas  de  Courcelles  and  myself,  in  the  form  in  which 
it  now  stands,  as  well  and  as  faithfully  as  possible,  long 
after  the  death  and  execution  of  Jeanne.  As  for  the 
Act  of  Accusation  and  other  parts  of  the  Process, 
Maître  Thomas  de  Courcelles  had  very  little  to  do  with 
these,  nor  did  he  greatly  interfere  with  them. 

With  regard  to  the  word  Nota ,  written  above  certain 
Articles  in  the  Minute,  there  was,  on  the  first  day  of  the 
Enquiry,  a  great  tumult  in  the  Chapel  of  the  Castle  at 
Rouen,  where,  that  day,  the  interrogation  was  held,  so 
that  Jeanne  was  interrupted  at  almost  every  word, 
whilst  she  was  speaking  of  her  apparitions  :  Certain 
secretaries  were  there — two  or  three — of  the  King  of 
England,  who  registered,  as  they  chose,  her  words  and 
depositions,  omitting  all  her  defence  and  all  which 
tended  to  exonerate  her.  I  complained  of  this,  saying  it 
was  irregular,  and  that  I  would  not  be  responsible,  as 
clerk,  in  this  matter  :  and,  therefore,  on  the  morrow,  the 
place  of  meeting  was  changed  and  convened  in  a  certain 
hall  of  the  Castle,  near  the  Great  Hall,  while  two 
English  were  placed  to  keep;  order.  When  there  were 
difficulties  as  to  Jeanne’s  answers,  and  some  said  she 
had  not  replied  as  I  had  written,  I  wrote  Nota  at  the 
top,  in  order  that  the  questions  might  be  repeated  and 
the  difficulties  removed.  Although  it  is  mentioned  in 
the  Process  that  the  Judges  stated  they  had  received 
preliminary  evidence,  I  do  not  remember  to  have  seen 
or  heard  of  it  ;  but  I  know  that,  if  it  had  been  produced, 
it  would  have  been  inserted  in  the  Process. 

Jeanne  was  brought  to  Rouen  and  not  to  Paris, 
because,  as  I  think,  the  King  of  England  and  the 
principal  people  of  his  Council  were  there. 


i82 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


At  the  beginning  of  the  Process,  I  was  sent  for  to 
attend  a  meeting  held  at  a  certain  house  near  the 
Castle,  at  which  were  present  the  Bishop  of  Beauvais, 
the  Abbé  of  Fécamp,  Maître  Nicolas  Loyseleur,  and 
many  others.  The  Bishop  told  me  it  was  necessary 
that  I  should  serve  the  King  :  that  they  meant  to  bring 
a  fine  case  against  this  said  Jeanne,  and  that  I  was  to 
recommend  another  greffier  to  assist  me.  I  therefore 
nominated  Boisguillaume. 

I  met  Lohier  in  the  Church,  on  the  day  after  the 
Bishop  had  asked  him  to  give  an  opinion  on  the 
Process,  and  enquired  what  he  thought  of  it.  He 
replied,  that  the  Process  was  of  no  value,  and  could  not 
be  maintained,  because  it  was  conducted  in  the  Castle 
and  not  in  a  legal  court  ;  that  it  concerned  many  who 
were  not  summoned  ;  that  Jeanne  had  no  Counsel  :  and 
for  many  other  reasons.  He  added  that,  in  his  opinion, 
it  was  their  intention  to  put  her  to  death. 

A  certain  Maître  Nicolas  de  Houppeville  was  sum¬ 
moned  to  attend  the  Trial  ;  and  was  in  great  danger, 
because  he  refused.  Maître  Jean  Lemaitre,  Sub- 
Inquisitor,  delayed  as  long  as  possible  his  attendance 
at  the  Trial,  and  was  much  vexed  at  being  compelled 
to  attend. 

One  day,  when  Jeanne  was  being  questioned,  Jean  de 
Châtillon  spoke  in  her  favour,  saying  that  she  was  not 
compelled  to  reply  to  the  question  put  to  her,  or  to  that 
effect.  This  much  displeased  the  Bishop  of  Beauvais 
and  his  following,  and  there  was  a  great  tumult  at  his 
words.  The  Bishop  ordered  him  to  be  quiet,  and  to  let 
the  Judges  speak. 

On  another  occasion,  when  some  one  was  advising 
and  directing  Jeanne  on  the  question  of  submission  to 
the  Church,  the  Bishop  said,  “  Hold  your  tongue,  in  the 
devil’s  name  !”  I  do  not  remember  the  name  of  him 
who  was  thus  spoken  to. 


SECOND  AND  THIRD  ENQUIRIES  183 

One  day,  some  one,  whose  name  I  do  not  remember, 
having  spoken  of  Jeanne  in  a  way  which  did  not  please 
the  Earl  of  Stafford,  the  latter  followed  him,  sword  in 
hand,  to  some  place  of  sanctuary  ;  and,  if  they  had  not 
told  Stafford  that  that  place  was  sacred,  he  would  have 
slain  him. 

Those  who  seemed  to  me  most  affected  [against  Jeanne] 
were  Beaupère,  Midi,  and  de  Touraine. 

One  day,  I  went  with  the  Bishop  of  Beauvais  and  the 
Earl  of  Warwick  to  the  prison  where  Jeanne  was,  and 
we  found  her  in  irons.  It  was  said  that  at  night  she 
was  fastened  with  iron  chains  ;  but  I  did  not  see  her  so 
fastened.  There  was,  in  the  prison,  neither  bed  nor  any 
kind  of  couch.  There  were  four  or  five  guards  of  the 
lowest  kind. 

[Manchon  supplies  a  fuller  account  of  the  story  given 
in  1450  as  to  the  clerks  having  overheard  Jeanne’s 
confession  to  Loyseleur  :] 

After  I  and  Boisguillaume  had  been  appointed 
notaries,  the  Earl  of  Warwick,  the  Bishop  of  Beauvais, 
and  Maître  Nicolas  Loyseleur  told  us  that  Jeanne  had 
spoken  strange  things  in  regard  to  her  visions,  and 
in  order  the  better  to  know  the  truth  about  them,  it 
was  agreed  that  Maître  Nicolas  Loyseleur  should  pre¬ 
tend  to  be  from  the  Marches  of  Lorraine — Jeanne’s  own 
country — and  in  the  following  of  the  King  of  France  ; 
that  he  should  enter  her  prison  in  a  layman’s  habit,  and 
that  the  guards  should  retire  and  leave  him  alone  with 
her:  there  was,  in  a  room  adjoining  the  prison,  a  hole, 
specially  made  for  the  purpose,  in  order  that  I  and 
my  companion  might  be  there,  and  hear  what  was  said 
by  Jeanne.  Thither  we  went,  unseen  by  her.  Then 
Loyseleur,  pretending  to  have  news,  began  to  question 
Jeanne  of  the  King’s  estate  and  of  her  revelations. 
Jeanne  replied,  believing  him  to  be  in  fact  of  her  own 
country  and  party  :  and  the  Bishop  and  the  Earl  desired 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


184 

us  to  put  in  writing  what  we  had  heard.  I  replied,  that 
this  ought  not  to  be,  that  it  was  not  honest  to  carry  on 
the  Trial  by  such  means,  but  that,  if  she  spoke  thus  in 
open  Court,  we  would  willingly  register  the  words.  And, 
ever  afterwards,  Jeanne  had  great  confidence  in  this 
Loyseleur,  who  often  heard  her  in  confession,  and  would 
generally  have  private  speech  with  her  before  she  was 
taken  before  the  Judges. 

The  interrogations  sometimes  lasted  three  or  four 
hours  in  the  morning  ;  and  sometimes  difficult  and 
subtle  questions  arose  on  the  answers,  on  which  she  was 
further  examined  after  dinner  for  two  or  three  hours. 
Often  they  turned  from  one  question  to  another,  changing 
about,  but,  notwithstanding  this,  she  answered  prudently, 
and  evinced  a  wonderful  memory,  saying  often,  “  I  have 
already  answered  you  on  this,”  and  adding,  “  I  refer  to 
the  clerks.” 

Long  before  the  [Seventy]  Articles  were  included  in 
the  Process,  Jeanne  had  been  many  times  examined,  and 
had  given  many  answers  ;  and  from  these  questions  and 
answers  the  Articles  were  drawn  up,  with  the  advice  of 
the  Assessors.  This  was  done  by  the  Promoter,  in 
order  that  the  material,  which  was  diffuse,  might  be  put 
in  order.  Afterwards,  she  was  examined  on  the  whole  ; 
and  it  was  concluded  by  the  counsellors — principally 
those  who  came  from  Paris — that  it  would  be  well, 
and  according  to  custom,  to  reduce  these  Articles  and 
answers  to  shorter  Articles,  bringing  together  the  princi¬ 
pal  points,  in  order  to  have  the  material  in  brief,  for 
better  and  more  prompt  discussion.  On  this,  there  were 
drawn  up  the  Twelve  Articles;  but  I  had  no  hand  in 
them,  nor  do  I  know  who  composed  or  extracted 
them. 

[With  regard  to  a  Note,  dated  April  4th,  1431,  written 
in  French  and  contained  in  the  Process,  concerning  these 
Twelve  Articles,  the  other  two  Notaries — Guillaume 


SECOND  AND  THIRD  ENQUIRIES  185 

Colles  or  Boisguillaume,  and  Nicolas  Taquel — were 
summoned  and  questioned,  together  with  deponent. 
They  testified  that  :] 

The  Note  is  in  the  handwriting  of  Manchon,  but  as 
to  who  drew  up  the  Twelve  Articles  we  do  not  know. 
It  was  said  to  be  customary  that  such  Articles  should  be 
made  and  drawn  up  from  the  confessions  of  one  accused 
of  Heresy,  even  as  in  a  matter  of  Faith  was  usually 
done,  in  Paris,  by  the  Doctors  and  Masters  in  Theology. 
The  corrections  of  these  Articles  were,  we  believe,  put 
down  as  appears  in  the  copy  before  us  ;  but,  whether 
these  corrections  were  added  or  not  to  the  copy  of  the 
Articles  sent  to  Paris  and  to  those  invited  to  submit  an 
opinion,  we  do  not  know.  We  believe  not  :  for  a  note, 
in  the  handwriting  of  Maître  Guillaume  d’Estivet,  the 
Promoter,  shews  that  they  were  sent  by  him  on  the 
following  day  without  correction. 

[Manchon  was  then  asked,  if  he  believed  the  Articles 
to  be  truthfully  composed,  and  if  there  were  not  a  great 
difference  between  them  and  Jeanne’s  answers.  He 
replied  that,  what  was  in  his  Process  was  true.  The 
Articles  were  not  his  doing.] 

I  believe  that  deliberation  was  not  made  on  the  whole 
Process,  because  it  was  not  then  in  shape.  It  was 
brought  into  its  present  form  only  after  Jeanne’s  death. 
Opinions  were  given  on  the  Twelve  Articles.  The 
Twelve  Articles  were  not  read  to  Jeanne.  [Asked  again, 
if  he  had  ever  perceived  a  difference  between  these 
Articles  and  Jeanne’s  confessions,  he  said  he  did  not 
remember.  Those  to  whom  they  were  shown  said, 
that  it  was  the  custom  to  draw  up  such  Articles  ;  but 
that  he  had  not  given  his  attention  to  it,  and  that  he 
should  not  have  dared  to  argue  with  such  great  men.] 

During  the  Trial  I  was  seated  at  the  feet  of  the 
Judges  with  Guillaume  Colles  and  the  clerk  of  Maître 
Guillaume  Beaupère,  who  was  also  writing  ;  but  there 


1 86 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


was  a  great  difference  in  what  we  had  written,  and  from 
this  arose  much  contention. 

When  the  Process  was  complete,  opinions  were  asked 
for,  and  from  these  it  was  decided  that  Jeanne  should 
be  exhorted  ;  she  was  left  to  the  counsel  of  Maître 
Nicolas  Loyseleur,  who  said  to  her:  “Jeanne,  believe 
me:  if  you  will,  you  may  be  saved.  Take  the  dress  of 
your  sex,  and  do  all  that  you  are  told  ;  otherwise  you 
are  in  peril  of  death.  If  you  do  what  I  tell  you,  you 
will  be  saved,  and  will  have  much  good  and  not  much 
ill,  and  you  will  be  given  up  to  the  Church.”  And  then 
she  was  taken  to  a  scaffold  or  platform.  Two  sentences 
had  been  prepared,  one  of  abjuration,  the  other  of 
condemnation  :  both  were  in  the  hands  of  the  Bishop, 
and,  while  he  was  reading  the  sentence  of  condemnation, 
Maître  Nicolas  Loyseleur  continued  to  press  Jeanne  to 
do  what  he  had  advised,  and  to  accept  the  woman’s 
dress.  There  was  a  short  interval,  in  which  an  English¬ 
man  addressed  the  Bishop  as  a  traitor,  to  which  he 
answered  that  he  lied.  At  this  instant,  Jeanne  declared 
herself  ready  to  obey  the  Church  ;  and  then  the  abjura¬ 
tion  was  read  to  her.  I  do  not  know  if  she  repeated  it, 
or  if,  after  it  was  read,  she  said  that  she  agreed.  But 
she  certainly  smiled.  The  executioner  was  there,  with 
the  cart,  waiting  to  take  her  to  the  burning. 

On  Trinity  Sunday,  I  and  the  other  notaries  were 
commanded  by  the  Bishop  and  Lord  Warwick  to  come  to 
the  Castle,  because  it  was  said  that  Jeanne  had  relapsed 
and  had  resumed  her  man’s  dress. 

When  we  reached  the  Court,  the  English,  who 
were  there  to  the  number  of  about  fifty,  assaulted  us, 
calling  us  traitors,  and  saying  that  we  had  mismanaged 
the  Trial.  We  escaped  their  hands  with  great  difficulty 
and  fear.  I  believe  they  were  angry  that,  at  the  first 
preaching  and  sentence,  she  had  not  been  burnt. 

What  she  had  said  in  the  abjuration  she  said  she  had 


SECOND  AND  THIRD  ENQUIRIES  187 

not  understood,  and  that  what  she  had  done  was  from 
fear  of  the  fire,  seeing  the  executioner  ready  with  his  cart. 

[Asked,  why  they  had  administered  the  Sacrament  to 
one  declared  excommunicate  and  heretic,  and  if  she  had 
been  absolved  by  the  forms  of  the  Church,  Manchon 
answered  :]  There  had  been  much  discussion  among 
the  Judges  and  their  Counsellors,  whether  they  should 
offer  her  the  Holy  Sacrament,  and  whether  she  should  be 
absolved  at  the  place  of  execution  ;  but  I  did  not  see  any 
absolution  granted  to  her.  I  was  so  disturbed  that  for  a 
month  I  remained  terrified. 

She  never  revoked  her  revelations,  but  maintained 
them  up  to  the  end. 

Brother  Pierre  Migier,  Prior  of  Longueville,  in  the 
diocese  of  Rouen,  S.T.P.,  First  examination ,  May  2nd . 
1452,  [ evidence  of  no  special  value. \ 

Second  Examination,  May  gtk,  1452.  [ Additional 

évidence  :] 

At  the  end  of  the  first  sermon  at  Saint-Ouen,  when 
Jeanne  was  admonished  to  recant  and  she  hesitated,  one 
of  the  English  ecclesiastics  told  the  Bishop  that  he 
was  favouring  Jeanne,  to  which  the  Bishop  replied, 
“  You  lie  !  It  is  my  duty,  on  account  of  my  profession,  to 
seek  the  salvation  of  the  soul  and  body  of  this  Jeanne.” 

I  was  accused  before  the  Cardinal  of  England  as  a 
partisan  of  Jeanne,  but  I  excused  myself  to  the  Cardinal, 
being  in  fear  of  my  life. 

I  think  the  notaries  were  truthful,  and  that  they 
wrote  with  fidelity. 

I  do  not  know  whether  she  asked  for  Counsel,  but  I 
think  no  one  would  have  dared  to  counsel  or  defend  her, 
nor  would  they  have  been  permitted. 

She  was  taken  to  execution,  with  great  anger,  by  the 
English  soldiers.  When  she  was  given  up  to  the  secular 


1 88 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


authorities  by  the  Church,  she  began  to  weep  and  call 
upon  “Jesus.”  Then  I  went  away,  having  so  great  com¬ 
passion  that  I  could  not  witness  her  death. 

Third  Examination,  December  \6th,  1455.  \Additional 
evidence .-] 

I  heard  that,  during  the  Trial,  there  were  certain  men 
hidden  behind  curtains,  who,  it  was  said,  were  writing 
down  the  words  and  confessions  of  Jeanne  ;  but  I  do  not 
know  if  this  is  the  fact.  This  I  heard  from  Maître 
Guillaume  Manchon,  one  of  the  three  Registrars  of  the 
Case.  I  complained  of  it  to  the  Judges,  saying  that  it 
did  not  seem  to  me  to  be  a  good  way  of  acting.  But 
whatever  may  be  the  truth  of  these  hidden  clerks,  I 
believe  truly  that  the  Registrars  who  signed  the  Process 
were  trustworthy,  and  that  they  faithfully  reported  what 
was  done  in  the  Trial. 

As  to  the  act  of  recantation,  I  know  it  was  performed 
by  her  ;  it  was  in  writing,  and  was  about  the  length  of  a 
Pater  Noster. 

In  an  old  book,  in  which  are  the  sayings  of  Merlin  the 
prophet,  it  is  written  that  a  maiden  should  come  from  an 
Oak-wood  in  the  country  of  Lorraine. 

Brother  Ysambard  de  la  Pierre  :  Second  Examina¬ 
tion ,  May  3  rd^  1452.  \He  makes  the  following  additions  /] 

The  room  in  which  Jeanne  was  confined  was  rather 
dark. 

I  was  at  the  sermon  of  Maître  Guillaume  Érard,  who 
took  as  his  theme,  “  A  branch  cannot  bear  fruit  except  it 
abide  in  the  Vine,”  saying  that  in  France  there  was  no 
monster  such  as  this  Jeanne  :  she  was  a  witch,  heretic, 
and  schismatic  ;  and  that  the  King  who  favoured  her  was 
of  like  sort  for  wishing  to  recover  his  kingdom  by  means 
of  such  an  heretical  woman. 


SECOND  AND  THIRD  ENQUIRIES  189 

The  Bishop  of  Beauvais  held  with  the  English.  I 
believe  it  was  he  who,  at  the  beginning  of  the  Process, 
ordered  her  to  be  kept  in  irons,  and  deputed  the  English 
as  her  keepers,  forbidding  any  to  speak  with  her 
unless  by  leave  from  him,  or  from  the  Promoter, 
Benedicite. 

When  I  was  holding  the  Cross  before  her,  she  begged 
me  to  descend,  as  the  fire  was  mounting. 

When  she  spoke  of  the  kingdom  and  the  war,  I 
thought  she  was  moved  by  the  Holy  Spirit  ;  but  when 
she  spoke  of  herself  she  feigned  many  things  :  never¬ 
theless,  I  think  she  should  not  have  been  condemned 
as  a  heretic.  When  the  Bishop  asked  if  she  would  sub¬ 
mit  to  the  Church,  she  enquired,  “What  is  the  Church  ? 
So  far  as  it  is  you,  I  will  not  submit  to  your  judgment, 
because  you  are  my  deadly  enemy.”  She  complained 
that  the  Bishop  would  not  allow  them  to  write  anything 
in  her  excuse,  but  only  what  was  against  her.  When 
she  was  asked  whether  she  would  submit  to  the  judg¬ 
ment  of  the  Pope,  she  replied  that,  if  they  would  take 
her  to  him,  she  would  be  content. 

She  was  adjudged  relapsed  because  she  had  resumed 
her  man’s  dress.  After  she  had  recanted,  she  resumed 
a  woman’s  dress,  and  begged  to  be  taken  to  the 
ecclesiastical  prisons  ;  but  it  was  not  permitted.  I 
heard  from  Jeanne,  herself,  that  she  had  been  assaulted 
by  a  great  lord  ;  and  for  that  reason  she  had  resumed 
her  man’s  dress,  which  had  been  perfidiously  left  near  her. 
After  her  resumption  of  this  dress,  I  heard  the  Bishop, 
with  some  of  the  English,  exulting,  and  saying  publicly 
to  the  Earl  of  Warwick  and  others  :  “  She  is  caught 
this  time  !  ” 

Third  Examination,  May  gth,  1452. 

Some  of  the  Assessors,  such  as  the  Bishop  of  Beauvais, 
proceeded  of  their  own  pleasure  ;  some — to  wit,  the 


190 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


English  Doctors — out  of  malicious  spite;  some,  Doctors 
of  Paris,  from  desire  of  gain  ;  some  were  induced  by  fear, 
as  the  aforesaid  Sub- Inquisitor' and  others  whom  I  do 
not  remember. 

The  Process  was  instituted  by  the  King  of  England, 
the  Cardinal  of  Winchester,  the  Earl  of  Warwick,  and 
other  English,  who  paid  all  the  expenses.  I  remember 
well  that  Jean,  Bishop  of  Avranches,  for  having  refused 
to  give  his  advice  in  the  Process,  was  threatened  by  the 
Promoter  d’Estivet  ;  and  Maître  Nicolas  de  Houppeville, 
who  would  not  attend  the  Trial  nor  give  an  opinion,  was 
in  danger  of  exile.  After  the  first  sermon,  at  which 
Jeanne  recanted,  I,  Jean  Delafontaine,  and  Maître 
Guillaume  Vallée,  of  the  Order  of  Saint  Dominic,  went 
to  the  Castle  by  order  of  the  Judges  to  counsel  Jeanne 
that  she  should  persevere  in  her  good  purpose.  Seeing 
this,  the  infuriate  English  threw  themselves  upon  us, 
with  swords  and  sticks,  and  violently  drove  us  out 
of  the  Castle;  on  this  occasion,  Jean  Delafontaine 
escaped,  and  left  the  town  and  did  not  return  ;  also  I 
suffered  many  reproaches  from  the  Earl  of  Warwick, 
because  I  had  told  Jeanne  she  should  submit  to  the 
General  Council.  [On  the  day  that  she  said  she 
would  submit]  Messire  Guillaume  Manchon,  the  notary, 
asked  whether  he  should  write  down  the  submission  ? 
The  Bishop  replied,  No,  it  was  not  necessary.  Then 
Jeanne  said  to  the  Bishop:  “Ah!  you  will  certainly 
write  what  is  against  me,  and  will  write  nothing  that 
is  for  me.”  This  submission  was  not  registered,  and 
there  ensued  in  the  assembly  a  great  murmur. 

The  examination  of  Jeanne  sometimes  lasted  three 
hours  in  the  morning  ;  and  sometimes  she  was  examined 
in  the  afternoon  as  well  as  in  the  morning  ;  I  heard  her 
often  complain  of  over-much  questioning. 

During  the  greater  part  of  the  Process,  when  she  was 
asked  to  submit  to  the  Church,  she  understood  by  that 


SECOND  AND  THIRD  ENQUIRIES  19 1 

term  the  assembly  of  Judges  and  Assessors  there  present. 
It  was  then  expounded  to  her  by  Maître  Pierre  Maurice  ; 
and,  after  she  knew,  she  always  declared  that  she  wished 
to  submit  to  the  Pope  and  to  be  conducted  to  him. 

She  was  brought  in  a  cart  to  the  cemetery  of  Saint- 
Ouen.  After  the  preaching  [at  the  Old  Market]  there  was 
a  long  waiting,  and  then  the  King’s  clerks  conducted 
her  to  the  stake,  I  and  Brother  Martin  Ladvenu  accom¬ 
panying  her  up  to  the  end. 

On  this  same  occasion,  the  Bishop  of  Beauvais  wept. 
A  certain  Englishman,  a  soldier,  who  hated  her  greatly, 
had  sworn  to  bring  a  faggot  for  the  stake.  When  he 
did  so,  and  heard  Jeanne  calling  on  the  name  of  Jesus 
in  her  last  moments,  he  was  stupefied,  and,  as  it  were,  in 
an  ecstasy  at  the  spectacle  :  his  companions  took  him  and 
led  him  away  to  a  neighbouring  tavern.  After  refresh¬ 
ment,  he  revived.  In  the  afternoon,  the  same  English¬ 
man  confessed,  in  my  presence,  to  a  Brother  of  the 
Order  of  Saint  Dominic,  that  he  had  gravely  erred,  and 
that  he  repented  of  what  he  had  done  against  Jeanne. 
He  held  her  to  be  a  good  woman,  for  he  had  seen  the 
spirit  departing  from  her,  as  it  were  a  white  dove, 
going  away  from  France. 

In  the  afternoon  of  the  same  day,  the  executioner 
came  to  the  Convent  of  the  Dominicans,  saying  to 
them  and  to  Brother  Martin  Ladvenu,  that  he  feared 
he  was  damned  because  he  had  burnt  a  saint. 


Maître  Pierre  Cusquel,  Citizen  of  Rouen.  First 
Examination ,  before  Cardinal  d' Estouteville,  May  $rd, 
1452. 

I  saw  Jeanne  brought  in  by  the  English. 

I  did  not  see  her  taken  to  prison,  but  I  saw  her  two 
or  three  times  in  a  chamber  in  the  Castle  of  Rouen,  near 
the  back  entrance. 


192 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


At  the  time  of  the  Trial,  I  was  in  the  habit  of  enter¬ 
ing  the  Castle,  thanks  to  Johnson,  master  of  the  masons. 
Twice  I  entered  her  prison  and  saw  her,  with  her  legs 
shackled  and  fastened  by  a  long  chain  to  a  beam.  In 
my  master’s  house  was  hung  a  great  cage  of  iron,  in 
which,  it  was  said,  she  was  to  be  shut  up  ;  but  I  never 
saw  her  in  this  cage. 

I  heard  that  Jeanne  was  made  prisoner  in  the  diocese 
of  Beauvais,  and  on  this  account  the  Bishop  undertook 
the  Process  against  her. 

Second  Examination ,  May  gtk,  1452.  [He  adds  to 
his  evidence  :] 

The  room  [where  Jeanne  was  imprisoned]  was  situated 
under  the  stairs,  towards  the  fields. 

Maître  André  Marguérie,  or  another,  said  he  had 
enquired  as  to  Jeanne’s  change  of  dress,  and  by  some 
one — I  know  not  whom — was  told  that  he  was  to  hold 
his  tongue,  in  the  devil’s  name. 

I  twice  entered  Jeanne’s  prison  and  spoke  with  her, 
warning  her  to  speak  prudently,  and  that  there  was 
question  of  her  death.  The  iron  cage,  which  I  saw,  was 
intended  to  detain  her  in  an  upright  position. 

I  was  not  present  at  the  last  preaching  and  con¬ 
demnation  and  execution  of  Jeanne,  because  my 
heart  could  not  bear  it,  for  pity  of  her  ;  but  I  heard 
that  she  received  the  Body  of  the  Lord  before  her 
condemnation. 

Maître  Jean  Tressart,  when  he  returned  from  the 
execution,  groaning  and  weeping  sadly,  lamented  to  me 
what  he  had  seen  at  this  place,  saying  to  me  :  “  We  are 
all  lost  ;  we  have  burnt  a  Saint  ”  ;  adding,  that  he 
believed  her  soul  was  in  the  hands  of  God  because, 
when  she  was  in  the  midst  of  the  flames,  she  constantly 
called  on  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 


SECOND  AND  THIRD  ENQUIRIES  193 

Third  Examination ,  May  1  ith,  1456.  [. Additional 

evidence  :] 

I  had  heard  of  the  visitation  ordered  by  the  Duchess 
of  Bedford,  but  did  not  know  if  it  were  true. 

After  her  death,  the  English  had  her  ashes  collected 
and  thrown  into  the  Seine,  because  they  feared  that 
some  might  believe  she  had  escaped. 

Ladvenu  :  Second  Examination,  May  $rd,  1452.  \He 
adds  the  following  to  his  earlier  testimony  :\ 

I  often  saw  her  in  the  Castle  of  Rouen,  under  the 
custody  of  the  English,  ironed  and  in  prison. 

I  heard  Jeanne,  by  license  of  the  Judges,  in  con¬ 
fession  ;  I  administered  to  her  the  Body  of  Christ  ;  she 
received  it  with  great  devotion  and  tears  which  I  cannot 
describe. 

The  resumption  of  her  man’s  dress  was  one  of  the 
causes  of  her  condemnation. 

Third  Examination,  May  gth,  1452.  [. Additional 

evidence  :] 

I  was  present  at  the  greater  part  of  the  Process,  with 
Brother  Jean  Lemaître,  then  Sub-Inquisitor.  I  saw 
Maître  Nicolas  de  Houppeville — he  who  would  not 
assist  in  the  Process — taken  to  prison.  I  know  well  that 
Jeanne  had  no  director,  Counsel,  nor  defender,  up  to 
the  end  of  the  Process,  and  that  no  one  would  have 
dared  to  offer  himself  as  her  Counsel,  director,  or 
defender,  for  fear  of  the  English.  I  have  heard  that 
those  who  went  to  the  Castle  to  counsel  and  direct 
Jeanne,  by  order  of  the  Judges,  were  harshly  repulsed 
and  threatened. 

Directly  Jeanne  was  abandoned  by  the  Church,  she 
was  seized  by  the  English  soldiers,  who  were  present  in 

o 


194 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


large  numbers,  without  any  sentence  from  the  secular 
authority,  although  the  Bailly  of  Rouen  and  the 
Counsels  of  the  Secular  Court  were  present.  I  know 
this  because  I  was  with  her,  from  the  Castle  to  her 
last  breath. 

The  executioner,  in  my  presence,  gave  his  testimony 
that  she  had  been  unjustly  put  to  death. 

Maître  Guillaume  Erard,  at  the  sermon  which  he 
pronounced  at  the  Cemetery  of  Saint-Ouen,  exclaimed  : 
“Oh,  House  of  France!  thou  hast  never  till  now 
nourished  a  monster  in  thy  bosom  ;  but  now  thou  art 
disgraced  by  thy  adhesion  to  this  witch,  this  heretic  ! 
this  superstitious  one  !  ” 

Fourth  Examination ,  December  igtk,  1455,  and  May 
13th,  1456.  [Additional  statements  :] 

I  have  heard  it  said  that  the  Bishop,  and  others 
concerned  in  the  Process,  wished  to  have  letters  of 
guarantee  from  the  King  of  England,  and  received  them  ; 
and  these  are  the  letters  now  shewn,  signed  with  the 
sign  manual  of  Maître  Laurence  Calot,  whose  signature 
I  know  well.  Maître  Jean  Lemaître,  Sub- Inquisitor, 
who  was  concerned  in  the  Trial  and  who  often  went 
with  me,  was  compelled  to  attend.  Brother  Ysambard 
de  la  Pierre,  who  was  a  friend  of  the  Inquisitor,  desired 
on  one  occasion  to  direct  Jeanne,  but  was  told  to  hold 
his  tongue,  and  that,  if  he  did  not  henceforward  abstain 
from  such  interference,  he  would  be  thrown  into  the 
Seine. 

On  the  day  of  her  death  I  was  with  her  until  her 
last  breath.  One  present  said  he  wished  his  soul 
might  be  where  he  believed  Jeanne’s  soul  was. 
After  the  reading  of  the  sentence,  she  came  down 
from  the  platform  on  which  the  preaching  had  been, 
and  was  led  by  the  executioner,  without  any  sentence 


SECOND  AND  THIRD  ENQUIRIES  195 

from  the  secular  Judges,  to  the  place  where  the  pile  was 
prepared  for  her  burning.  The  pile  was  on  a  scaffold, 
and  the  executioner  lighted  it  from  below.  When 
Jeanne  perceived  the  fire,  she  told  me  to  descend  and 
to  hold  up  the  Cross  of  the  Lord  on  high  before  her 
that  she  might  see  it. 

When  I  was  with  her,  and  exhorting  her  on  her 
salvation,  the  Bishop  of  Beauvais  and  some  of  the 
Canons  of  Rouen  came  over  to  see  her  ;  and,  when 
Jeanne  perceived  the  Bishop,  she  told  him  that  he  was 
the  cause  of  her  death  ;  that  he  had  promised  to  place 
her  in  the  hands  of  the  Church,  and  had  relinquished 
her  to  her  mortal  enemies. 

Up  to  the  end  of  her  life  she  maintained  and  asserted 
that  her  Voices  came  from  God,  and  that  what  she 
had  done  had  been  by  God’s  command.  She  did 
not  believe  that  her  Voices  had  deceived  her  :  [but 
that]  the  revelations  which  she  had  received  had  come 
from  God. 

Messire  Nicolas  'Y Priest,  Rector  of  Basque- 
ville,  in  the  Diocese  of  Rouen  :  First  Examination , 
May  %th,  1452. 

About  half-way  through  the  Process  I  was  called  by  the 
two  notaries  to  assist  them.  I  saw  Jeanne  in  a  prison 
in  the  Castle  of  Rouen,  in  a  certain  tower  near  the  fields. 
I  never  perceived  any  kind  of  fear,  nor  did  I  know  of 
prohibitions  or  coercion  by  the  English.  I  do  not 
remember  that  she  asked  to  have  Counsel,  or  that  they 
were  offered  to  her  ;  I  was  not  at  the  opening  of  the 
Case.  I  knew  well  that  Jeanne  was  in  prison.  I  saw 
her  there,  in  irons,  notwithstanding  her  weakness. 
There  was  an  Englishman  who  had  charge  of  her  in 
the  room,  without  whose  leave  no  one,  not  even  the 
Judges,  might  have  access  to  her. 


o  2 


196 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


Jeanne  was  about  twenty  years  of  age  ;  though  she  was 
as  simple  as  any  girl  of  her  age,  she  could  speak  well  on 
occasion,  sometimes  varying  her  answers,  and  sometimes 
not  replying  to  the  questions.  I  certainly  heard  in  the 
town,  that  at  night,  the  English,  in  the  absence  of  the 
Judges,  disturbed  her  much,  saying  sometimes  that  she 
would  die,  sometimes  that  they  would  kill  her  ;  but  I  do 
not  know  if  it  was  true.  I  was  present  when  some  of  the 
Judges  put  very  difficult  questions  to  her,  to  which  she 
answered  that  it  did  not  concern  her  to  reply  to  them. 
Some  of  the  Doctors  present  sometimes  said  to  her,  “  You 
say  well,  Jeanne.”  Sometimes  Jeanne,  wearied  with  so 
many  questions,  begged  for  delay  till  the  morrow  ;  and  it 
was  granted.  Many  heard  the  statement  referred  to, 
made  by  Jeanne,  that  she  would  say  and  do  nothing 
against  the  Faith.  I  believe  this  is  written  in  the 
Process.  I  do  not  remember  to  have  seen  any  English 
at  the  Examinations  of  Jeanne,  with  the  exception  of  the 
guards  ;  nor  do  I  remember  any  restrictions  upon  what 
was  done  in  the  Process,  although  the  Judges  said  it  was 
forbidden  to  write  anything  which  was  not  contained  in 
the  Process.  I  do  not  know  that  the  words  of  the  Seventy 
Articles  were  inserted  in  the  Process,  nor  do  I  remember 
that  Jeanne,  during  the  whole  Trial,  said  she  would 
not  submit  to  the  Ecclesiastical  authority,  although  I 
occasionally  saw  her  somewhat  disturbed  ;  then  the 
Doctors  who  were  present  advised  her,  and  sometimes 
postponed  the  matter  till  the  morrow. 

I  saw  nothing  in  Jeanne  contrary  to  a  good  Catho¬ 
lic.  She  asked,  in  my  presence,  whether  she  might 
receive  the  Sacrament  ;  but  I  was  not  permitted  to 
be  present  at  its  reception.  It  was  told  me  that, 
before  she  arrived  at  the  place  of  execution,  she  made 
many  and  devout  prayers  to  God,  to  the  Blessed 
Mary  and  the  Saints,  so  that  many  present  were 
provoked  to  tears,  and,  among  others,  Maître  Nicolas 


SECOND  AND  THIRD  ENQUIRIES  197 

Loyseleur,  Promoter  1  to  the  cause,  who,  leaving  her  in 
tears,  met  certain  English  in  the  court  of  the  Castle  : 
these  took  him  to  task,  calling  him  traitor,  which  fright¬ 
ened  him  so  much  that,  without  more  ado,  he  went  to 
the  Earl  of  Warwick  to  beg  his  protection  ;  and,  had 
it  not  been  for  the  said  Earl,  I  think  that  Loyseleur 
would  have  been  killed. 

After  the  sentence  of  the  Church  had  been  read,  I 
with  many  other  ecclesiastics  retired.  I  was  not  present 
at  the  execution  ;  but  I  heard  that  Jeanne  died  piously 
and  as  a  Catholic,  calling  on  the  name  of  the  Blessed 
Virgin  Mary. 


Second  Examination ,  May  11  th,  1456.  \Additional 
evidence  :] 

I  was  one  of  the  notaries,  but  not  at  the  commence¬ 
ment.  I  was  not  there  during  the  time  when  the  Process 
was  carried  on  in  the  Great  Hall,  but  only  when  the  sittings 
were  held  in  the  prison.  I  was  first  concerned  in  the 
Process  on  the  14th  of  March,  1430,  as  appears  in  my 
commission,  to  which  I  refer  ;  and,  from  this  time  to  the 
end  of  the  Process,  I  was  present  as  notary  at  the 
interrogations  and  answers  of  Jeanne  :  I  was  not  per¬ 
mitted  to  write,  but  I  listened  and  referred,  for  the 
writing,  to  the  other  two  notaries,  Boisguillaume  and 
Manchon,  both  of  whom  wrote,  especially  Manchon. 

The  said  Process  was  put  into  its  present  form  a  long 
time  after  the  death  of  Jeanne,  but  at  what  time  I  do 
not  know.  For  my  labour  and  trouble  I  had  ten  francs, 
though  I  had  been  told  I  should  have  twenty  ;  and 
these  ten  francs  were  handed  over  to  me  by  a  certain 
Benedicite  [d’Estivet],  but  whence  the  money  came  I 
know  not. 

1  Note  by  Quicherat  :  This  is  an  error  of  the  witness.  [The  Promoter  was 
d’Estivet.] 


198 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


I  heard  it  said  among  the  notaries  that  certain  Articles 
were  to  be  made  ;  but  as  to  who  drew  them  up  I  know 
not.  They  were  sent  to  Paris  ;  but  whether  they  were 
signed  or  no,  I  do  not  remember  :  I  think  they  were  not 
signed,  but,  yet,  I  remember  that  once  something  was 
signed,  which  was  neither  Process  nor  sentence. 

[A  note  of  April  4th,  1431,  was  then  shewed  to  Maître 
Taquel,  containing  the  Twelve  Articles  in  the  form  in 
which  they  were  sent  for  correction.]  He  confirmed  the 
handwriting  of  Manchon,  and  said  he  believed  he  was 
present  on  the  occasion.  He  thought  no  corrections 
were  made. 

When  the  preaching  was  made  at  the  Place  Saint- 
Ouen,  I  was  not  upon  the  platform  with  the  other 
notaries.  But  I  was  quite  close,  and  could  see  and  hear 
all  that  was  said  and  done.  I  remember  well  seeing  a 
schedule  of  abjuration  read  to  Jeanne  by  Massieu.  It 
was  about  six  lines  of  large  writing  ;  and  Jeanne  repeated 
it  after  Massieu.  This  letter  of  abjuration  was  in 
French,  beginning,  “  Je,  Jeanne,”  etc.  After  the  abjura¬ 
tion,  she  was  condemned  to  perpetual  imprisonment,  and 
reconducted  to  the  Castle  ;  and  after  this  I  was  com¬ 
manded  to  attend  another  enquiry  ;  but  a  tumult  arose, 
and  I  do  not  know  what  happened  afterwards.  There 
was  another  sermon  :  on  that  day  Jeanne  died,  and  on 
the  morning  of  the  day  Jeanne  received  the  Body  of 
Christ.  At  this  last  preaching  I  was  present  to  the  end 
of  the  sermon  ;  and  at  its  conclusion  Jeanne  was  handed 
over  to  the  secular  authorities.  This  done,  I  retired. 

Messire  Pierre  Lebouchier,  Priest ,  Curé  of  the 
Parish  of  Bourgeauville  :  Examined  May  8  th,  1452. 

An  English  clerk,  Bachelor  in  Theology,  Keeper  of 
the  Private  Seal  of  the  Cardinal  of  England,  being  at 
the  sermon  of  Saint-Ouen,  said  these  words,  in  my 


SECOND  AND  THIRD  ENQUIRIES  199 

presence,  to  the  Bishop  of  Beauvais  :  “  Have  done  ! 
You  favour  her  overmuch  !  ”  Annoyed  at  these  words, 
the  Bishop  threw  the  Process,  which  he  had  in  his  hand, 
to  the  ground,  saying  that  he  would  do  nothing  more 
that  day,  being  unwilling  to  act  except  according  to  his 
conscience. 

Jeanne  was  alone,  seated  upon  a  chair;  I  heard  her 
reply  without  Counsel.  I  do  not  know  whether  she 
asked  for  any  or  if  it  were  denied  her. 

She  was  in  prison  in  the  Castle  of  Rouen.  I  do  not 
know  if  she  were  in  irons.  No  one  might  speak  to  her 
without  leave  from  the  English  who  had  charge  of  her. 
I  did  not  see  her  leave  the  Castle,  There  were  with  her 
certain  Englishmen  who,  I  believe,  were  shut  up  with 
her  in  the  same  room,  to  which  there  were  three  keys — 
one  kept  by  the  Lord  Cardinal  or  the  aforesaid  secretary, 
another  by  the  Inquisitor,  and  another  by  Messire  Jean 
Benedicite,  the  Promoter  :  for  the  English  feared  greatly 
that  she  would  escape  them. 

I  was  not  present  at  the  Process  ;  but,  after  the 
preaching  at  Saint-Ouen,  Jeanne,  with  her  hands  joined 
together,  said  in  a  loud  voice  that  she  submitted  to 
the  judgment  of  the  Church,  and  prayed  to  Saint 
Michael  that  he  would  direct  and  counsel  her. 

As  soon  as  the  sentence  had  been  read  by  the  Eccle¬ 
siastical  Judge,  [at  the  Old  Market,]  she  was  conducted 
to  the  platform  of  the  Bailly  by  the  King’s  followers,  on 
which  platform  were  the  Bailly  and  other  lay  officers. 
She  remained  there  some  time  with  them  ;  and  what 
they  did  or  said  I  know  not,  only  that  she  was  taken  back 
and  given  over  to  the  fire  after  they  had  departed. 

While  they  were  tying  her  to  the  stake  she  implored 
and  specially  invoked  Saint  Michael.  She  seemed  to 
me  a  good  Christian  to  the  end  ;  the  greater  number  of 
those  present,  to  the  number  of  ten  thousand,  wept  and 
lamented,  saying  that  she  was  of  great  piety. 


200 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


I  think  the  English  feared  Jeanne  more  than  the 
whole  of  the  rest  of  the  army  of  the  King  of  France,  and 
that  this  fear  it  was  which  moved  them,  in  my  opinion, 
to  bring  the  Process  against  her. 

Maître  Nicolas  de  Houppeville,  Bachelor  in  Theo¬ 
logy,  of  the  diocese  of  Rotten  :  First  Examination ,  May 
Zth,  1452. 

I  never  thought  that  zeal  of  the  Faith,  nor  desire  to 
bring  her  back  to  the  right  way,  caused  the  English  to 
act  thus. 

Jeanne  was  brought  to  the  town  of  Rouen  by  the 
English  and  imprisoned  in  the  Castle  ;  and  the  Process 
was,  I  believe,  instituted  by  them.  As  to  the  question 
of  fear  and  pressure,  I  do  not  believe  it,  so  far  as  it 
affected  the  Judges.  They  acted  voluntarily, — principally 
the  Bishop  of  Beauvais,  for  I  saw  him  on  his  return  from 
the  negotiations  about  Jeanne  speaking  of  it  with  the 
Regent  and  the  Earl  of  Warwick  :  he  was  exulting  and 
rejoicing  in  words  which  I  did  not  understand.  He 
went  apart  thereupon  with  the  Earl  of  Warwick  ;  but 
what  was  said  I  know  not. 

In  my  judgment,  the  Judges  and  Assessors  were  for 
the  most  part  uncoerced  ;  for  the  rest,  I  believe  many 
were  afraid.  I  heard  from  Maître  Pierre  Minier  that  he 
had  tendered  his  opinion  in  writing,  but  it  was  not 
pleasing  to  the  Bishop  of  Beauvais,  who  sent  him  away, 
telling  him  that,  as  a  theologian,  he  was  not  to  meddle 
any  more  in  the  matter,  but  to  leave  it  to  the  lawyers. 

I  was  once  called  at  the  beginning  of  the  Process. 
I  did  not  come,  being  prevented.  The  second  day, 
when  I  came,  I  was  not  admitted.  I  was  even  driven 
away  by  the  Bishop,  because,  talking  one  day  with 
Maître  Michel  Colles,  I  had  told  him  that  it  was 
dangerous  for  many  reasons  to  take  part  in  this  Process. 


SECOND  AND  THIRD  ENQUIRIES  201 

This  was  repeated  to  the  Bishop  ;  and  for  this  cause  he 
had  me  shut  up  in  the  King’s  prison  at  Rouen,  whence  I 
was  delivered  only  by  the  prayers  of  the  Lord  Abbot 
of  Fécamp  :  and  I  heard  that  some,  whom  the  Bishop 
summoned,  advised  that  I  should  be  exiled  to  England 
or  elsewhere  beyond  the  bounds  of  Rouen,  had  I  not 
been  delivered  by  the  Abbot  and  his  friends. 

It  was  reported  in  the  city  of  Rouen  that  some  one, 
feigning  to  be  a  soldier  of  the  King  of  France,  was 
secretly  introduced  to  her,  persuading  her  not  to  submit 
to  the  authority  of  the  Church.  There  were  rumours 
that,  on  account  of  this  persuasion,  Jeanne  afterwards 
wavered  in  her  submission  to  the  Church. 

I  saw  her  coming  out  of  the  Castle,  weeping  much, 
and  led  to  the  place  of  execution  by  a  troop  of  soldiers, 
to  the  number  of  120,  some  with  swords  and  some  with 
clubs.  Touched  with  compassion  at  this  sight  I  could 
go  no  further. 

Re-examined ,  May  1  ^tk,  1456. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  Process,  I  was  at  several 
consultations,  in  which  I  was  of  opinion  that  neither 
the  Bishop  nor  those  who  wished  to  take  part  with 
him  were  in  the  position  to  act  as  Judges  ;  I  could 
not  see  how  they  could  properly  proceed,  because 
those  opposed  to  her  were  acting  as  Judges,  and  she 
had  already  been  examined  by  the  Clergy  of  Poitiers 
and  the  Archbishop  of  Rheims,  the  Metropolitan  of 
the  Bishop  of  Beauvais.  Owing  to  this  opinion  I 
incurred  the  wrath  of  the  Bishop,  who  cited  me  to 
appear  before  him.  When  I  appeared,  I  told  him 
that  I  was  not  his  subject,  nor  was  I  under  his 
jurisdiction,  but  in  that  of  Rouen  :  and  so  I  left  him. 
But  when,  for  this  reason,  I  wished  to  appear  in  the  Case 
and  presented  myself  to  the  authorities  of  Rouen,  I  was 


202 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


arrested  and  taken  to  the  Castle  and  to  the  King’s 
prisons.  When  I  asked  the  cause  of  my  arrest,  I  was 
told  it  was  by  order  of  the  Bishop  of  Beauvais.  Maître 
Jean  Delafontaine,  my  friend,  wrote  to  me  that  I  was 
arrested  in  consequence  of  the  opinion  I  had  given  in  this 
Process  ;  and  he  warned  me,  at  the  same  time,  of  the 
anger  of  the  Bishop.  Thanks  to  the  intervention  of  the 
Abbé  of  Fécamp,  I  ended  by  being  set  at  liberty. 

[He  adds,  to  his  previous  statement,  that  the  man  who 
feigned  to  be  a  soldier  on  the  side  of  the  King  of  France 
was  Nicolas  Loyseleur.] 

Massieu  :  Second  Examination ,  May  %th,  1452. 
[. Additional  evidence  ;] 

On  one  occasion,  Maître  Jean  de  Chatillon,  Arch¬ 
deacon  of  Evreux  and  Doctor  in  Theology,  found  that 
Jeanne  was  being  asked  questions  too  difficult  for  her, 
and  complained  of  the  mode  of  procedure,  saying  that 
they  ought  not  to  act  in  this  manner.  But  the  other 
Assessors  told  him  to  let  them  alone  ;  to  which  he 
answered  :  “  I  must  acquit  my  own  conscience.”  For 
this  cause  he  was  forbidden,  by  whom  I  do  not 
remember,  to  attend  further  unless  he  was  summoned. 

On  Trinity  Sunday,  in  the  afternoon,  Maître  André 
Marguérie,  hearing  that  Jeanne  had  resumed  her  male 
attire,  went  to  the  Castle  of  Rouen,  saying  that  he  must 
find  out  why  she  had  done  so,  and  that  it  was  not 
enough  for  him  merely  to  see  her  in  this  dress.  One 
of  the  English  soldiers,  lance  in  hand,  called  out  to 
him,  “Traitor!  Armagnac!”  and  raised  his  lance 
against  him,  so  that  Marguérie  fled,  fearing  to  be  slain, 
and  was  in  consequence  much  upset  and  ill. 

At  the  first  sermon,  I  was  on  the  platform  with 
Jeanne,  and  read  the  Schedule  of  Abjuration  to  her  ;  at 
her  request  and  petition  I  instructed  her,  shewing  her 


SECOND  AND  THIRD  ENQUIRIES  203 

the  danger  that  might  arise  from  abjuration  unless  the 
Articles  were  first  seen  by  the  Church,  to  whom  she 
should  refer  as  to  whether  she  should  abjure  or  not. 

Seeing  this,  Maître  Guillaume  Érard,  the  preacher, 
asked  me  what  I  was  saying  to  her,  and,  when  I  replied, 
said  :  “  Read  her  this  schedule,  and  tell  her  to  sign  it.” 
Jeanne  answered  that  she  did  not  know  how  to  sign  ;  she 
desired  that  the  Articles  might  be  seen  and  deliberated 
upon  by  the  Church  ;  [she  said]  she  ought  not  to 
abjure  this  schedule,  and  requested  that  she  might  be 
placed  in  the  custody  of  the  Church,  and  no  longer  be 
kept  by  the  English.  Erard  replied  that  she  had  had 
long  enough  delay,  and  that,  if  she  did  not  abjure  this 
schedule,  she  should  be  immediately  burned;  and  he 
forbade  me  to  speak  further  with  her  or  to  give  her 
more  counsel. 

I  remember  that  incomplete  questions  were  often  put 
to  Jeanne,  and  many  and  difficult  interrogations  were 
made  together  ;  then,  before  she  could  answer  one, 
another  would  put  a  question  ;  so  that  she  was  displeased, 
saying,  “Speak  one  after  the  other.”  I  marvelled  that 
she  could  so  answer  the  subtle  and  captious  questions 
put  to  her  ;  no  man  of  letters  could  have  replied  better. 

The  examinations  lasted  generally  from  eight  o’clock 
to  eleven. 

I  often  heard  Jeanne  say  that  God  would  not  permit 
her  to  say  or  do  anything  against  the  Catholic  Faith.  I 
heard  her  tell  the  Judges  that,  if  she  had  ever  said  or 
done  anything  ill,  she  was  willing  to  correct  and  amend 
according  to  their  decision.  I  heard  Jeanne  saying  to 
the  Doctors  who  questioned  her  :  “You  ask  me  of  the 
Church  Triumphant  and  Militant.  I  do  not  understand 
these  terms  ;  but  I  am  willing  to  submit  to  the  Church 
as  a  good  Christian  should.” 

I  know  that  the  whole  Process  was  written  in  French. 
I  believe  it  was  afterwards  translated  into  Latin.  [To 


204 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


his  account  of  her  resumption  of  the  man’s  dress  he 
adds  :]  On  the  morrow,  after  she  had  been  seen  in  the 
resumed  dress,  her  woman’s  dress  was  restored  to  her. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  Process,  Jeanne  asked  for 
Counsel  in  her  replies,  she  said  she  was  too  unlearned  to 
reply  ;  but  they  answered,  that  she  must  speak  for 
herself  as  best  she  could,  for  she  should  not  have 
Counsel. 

[He  adds  to  his  account  of  her  last  Communion  the 
fact  that  he  was  himself  present.] 

Further  examined,  December  iyth,  1455,  and  May 
12 th,  1456.  [A dditional  evidence  :] 

Once,  when  I  was  conducting  her  before  the  Judges, 
she  asked  me,  if  there  were  not,  on  her  way  thither,  any 
Chapel  or  Church  in  which  was  the  Body  of  Christ.  I 
replied,  that  there  was  a  certain  Chapel  in  the  Castle. 
She  then  begged  me  to  lead  her  by  this  Chapel,  that 
she  might  do  reverence  to  God  and  pray,  which  I 
willingly  did,  permitting  her  to  kneel  and  pray  before  the 
Chapel  ;  this  she  did  with  great  devotion.  The  Bishop 
of  Beauvais  was  much  displeased  at  this,  and  forbade  me 
in  future  to  permit  her  to  pray  there. 

Many  [in  the  Trial]  had  a  great  hate  against  her, 
principally  the  English,  who  feared  her  greatly  :  for, 
before  she  was  captured,  they  did  not  dare  to  appear 
where  they  believed  her  to  be.  I  heard  it  said  that  the 
Bishop  of  Beauvais  did  everything  at  the  instigation  of 
the  King  of  England  and  his  Council,  who  were  then 
in  Rouen. 

Among  the  Assessors  there  was  complaint  that  Jeanne 
was  in  the  hands  of  the  English.  Some  of  them  said 
that  she  ought  to  be  in  the  hands  of  the  Church  ;  but 
the  Bishop  did  not  care,  and  sent  her  away  to  the 
English. 


SECOND  AND  THIRD  ENQUIRIES  205 

Maître  Jean  Lefèvre,  of  the  Order  of  the  Hermit 
Friars  of  Saint  Augustine,  now  Bishop  of  Démétriade, 
seeing  Jeanne  much  fatigued  with  the  questioning 
as  to  whether  she  were  in  a  state  of  grace,  and 
considering  that,  though  her  answers  seemed  sufficient, 
she  was  over-worried  by  many  questioners,  remarked 
that  she  was  being  too  much  troubled.  Then  the  ques¬ 
tioners  ordered  him  to  be  silent  :  I  do  not  remember 
who  they  were. 

She  was  imprisoned  in  the  Castle  of  Rouen  in  a  room 
on  the  second  floor,  to  which  one  ascended  by  eight 
steps.  There  was  a  bed  in  which  she  slept  and  a  great 
piece  of  wood  to  which  she  was  fastened  by  iron  chains. 

There  were  five  English  of  wretched  estate  \Jwuce- 
pailliers\  who  kept  guard  over  her  ;  they  much  desired 
her  death  and  often  derided  her,  and  with  this  she 
reproached  them. 

I  learnt  from  Etienne  Castille,  locksmith,  that  he  had 
constructed  for  her  an  iron  cage  in  which  she  was  held 
by  the  neck,  hands  and  feet,  and  that  she  was  in  this 
state  from  the  time  she  was  first  brought  to  the  town  of 
Rouen  until  the  beginning  of  the  Process.  I  never  saw 
her  in  this  cage,  for,  when  I  fetched  her,  she  was  always 
out  of  irons. 

I  know  that,  by  the  order  of  the  Duchess  of  Bedford, 
a  visitation  was  made  by  matrons  and  midwives,  among 
whom  were,  notably,  Anna  Bavon  and  another  matron 
whose  name  I  do  not  remember.  She  was  found  to  be 
virgin,  as  I  have  heard  from  the  said  Anna.  The 
Duchess  of  Bedford  forbade  the  guards  to  offer  her  any 
violence. 

When  Jeanne  was  questioned,  there  were  with  the 
Bishop  six  Assessors,  who  also  questioned  her  in  such 
wise  that,  when  she  was  occupied  in  replying  to  one, 
another  interrupted  her  answer,  so  that  she  often  said  to 
them  :  “  Fair  sirs,  speak  one  after  another.’’ 


206 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


[To  the  story  of  the  signing  of  the  abjuration  he 
adds  :]  Érard,  holding  the  Schedule  of  Abjuration,  said  to 
Jeanne,  “  Thou  shalt  abjure  and  sign  this  schedule,”  and 
passed  it  to  me  to  read,  and  I  read  it  in  her  presence.  I 
remember  well  that  in  this  schedule  it  was  said  that  in 
future  she  should  not  bear  arms  or  male  attire  or  short 
hair,  and  many  other  things  which  I  do  not  remember. 
I  know  that  this  schedule  contained  about  eight  lines 
and  no  more  ;  and  I  know  of  a  certainty  that  it  was  not 
that  which  is  mentioned  in  the  Process,  for  this  is  quite 
different  from  what  I  read  and  what  was  signed  by 
Jeanne.  While  they  were  pressing  Jeanne  to  sign  her 
abjuration,  there  was  a  great  murmur  among  those 
present.  I  heard  that  the  Bishop  said  to  one  of  them, 
“You  shall  pay  me  for  this,”  and  added,  that  he  would 
not  go  on  unless  satisfaction  were  done  him.  During  this 
time  I  was  constrained  to  warn  Jeanne  of  the  peril  which 
threatened  her  if  she  signed  this  schedule.  I  saw  clearly 
that  she  did  not  understand  it,  nor  the  danger  in  which 
she  stood.  Then  Jeanne,  pressed  to  sign,  said  :  “  Let 
the  clerics  of  the  Church  examine  this  schedule.  It  is 
in  their  hands  I  ought  to  be.  If  they  tell  me  to  sign  I 
will  do  it  willingly.”  Then  Maître  Guillaume  Érard 
said  :  “  Do  it  now,  otherwise  you  will  end  in  the  fire  to¬ 
day.”  Jeanne  replied  that  she  would  rather  sign  than 
burn  ;  and  there  arose  a  great  tumult  among  the  people, 
and  many  stones  were  thrown,  but  by  whom  I  know  not. 
When  the  schedule  was  signed,  Jeanne  asked  the 
Promoter  whether  she  were  to  be  placed  in  the  hands 
of  the  Church  and  where  she  was  to  be  taken. 
Then  the  Promoter  replied,  that  she  was  to  be  re¬ 
conducted  to  the  Castle  of  Rouen,  which  in  fact  was 
done,  and  she  was  put  into  woman’s  clothes. 

On  the  morning  of  Wednesday,  the  day  on  which  she 
died,  Brother  Martin  Ladvenu  heard  her  in  confession, 
and  afterwards  sent  me  to  the  Bishop  to  tell  him  this 


SECOND  AND  THIRD  ENQUIRIES  207 


fact  and  that  she  prayed  the  Sacrament  of  the  Eucharist 
might  be  brought  to  her.  Thereupon,  the  Bishop  con¬ 
voked  some  of  the  Assessors,  and  at  the  end  of  their 
deliberation  he  told  me  to  inform  Brother  Martin 
that  he  might  take  her  the  Sacrament  and  whatsoever 
she  desired.  Then  I  returned  to  the  Castle  and  told 
this  to  Brother  Martin. 

Afterwards,  she  came  out  dressed  in  woman’s  clothing, 
and  Brother  Martin  and  I  led  her  to  the  place  of 
execution. 

At  the  end  of  his  sermon,  Maître  Nicolas  Midi  said  to 
her:  “Jeanne,  go  in  peace;  the  Church  can  no  longer 
defend  thee  ;  she  leaves  thee  to  the  secular  arm.” 

She  commended  herself  to  God,  to  Saint  Michael, 
Saint  Catherine,  and  all  the  Saints. 

I  heard  it  said  by  Jean  Fleury,  Clerk  to  the  Bailly, 
that  the  executioner  related  how,  when  her  body  was 
burnt  and  reduced  to  powder,  her  heart  remained  whole 
and  bleeding.  I  was  told  that  her  ashes  and  all  that 
remained  of  her  were  collected  and  thrown  into  the 
Seine. 


Maître  Nicolas  Caval,  Priest ,  Licentiate  in  Law , 
Canon  of  Rotten:  First  Examination ,  May  2>th,  1452. 
[ Agreed  with  previotis  statements .] 

Further  examined \  December  19th,  1455,  and  May 
12 th,  1456.  ^Additional  evidence  :] 

Jeanne  had  a  good  memory,  for  sometimes  when  she 
was  asked  a  question  she  replied,  “  I  have  already  an¬ 
swered  in  such  a  form,”  and  she  insisted  that  it  should 
be  ascertained  from  the  notaries  on  what  day  she  so 
answered  ;  on  which  it  was  found  to  be  as  she  said, 
without  addition  or  change  :  and  at  this  was  there  much 
marvel,  considering  her  youth. 


208 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


Maître  Guillaume  du  Desert,  Canon  of  Rouen: 
Examined  May  8/ h,  1452. 

I  was  present  at  the  first  preaching  at  Saint-Ouen, 
where  I  saw  and  heard  the  recantation  made  by  Jeanne, 
and  that  she  submitted  to  the  decisions,  the  judgments, 
and  the  commands  of  the  Church.  A  certain  English 
Doctor  who  was  present,  being  much  displeased  that  the 
abjuration  was  received — because  Jeanne  was  laughing 
when  she  pronounced  the  words — said  to  the  Bishop  of 
Beauvais,  the  Judge,  that  he  was  doing  wrong  to  admit 
this  recantation,  since  it  was  a  mere  farce.  The  Bishop, 
irritated,  told  this  person  that  he  lied  :  for,  as  Judge  in 
a  cause  of  faith,  he  must  seek  rather  her  salvation  than 
her  death. 

At  this  sermon,  I  heard  Jeanne  submit  to  the  judg¬ 
ment  of  the  Church. 

Maître  André  Marguérie,  Archdeacon:  First 
Examination ,  May  gtk,  1452.  Further  examined , 
December  igth,  1455,  and  May  12 thy  1456. 

I  heard  Jeanne  say,  that  she  would  believe  neither 
Prelate  nor  Pope  nor  any  other  in  [contradiction  to] 
what  she  had  received  from  God.  I  think  this  was  one 
of  the  reasons  why  she  was  proceeded  against,  so  that 
she  should  recant. 

I  was  present  at  the  final  preaching  but  not  at  the 
execution,  for  very  pity  of  the  deed.  Many  of  those 
present  wept,  among  others  the  Cardinal  de  Luxem¬ 
bourg,  then  Bishop  of  Thérouenne. 

I  know  nothing  about  her  devotions  ;  but  she  said, 
“  Rouen,  Rouen,  must  I  die  here  ?” 

I  can  well  believe  that  some  of  the  English  acted 
from  hate  and  fear,  but  of  the  more  notable  ecclesiastics 
I  do  not  think  this.  A  chaplain  of  the  Cardinal  of 
England,  present  at  the  first  preaching,  said  to  the 
Bishop  of  Beauvais,  that  he  was  showing  too  much 


SECOND  AND  THIRD  ENQUIRIES  209 

favour  to  Jeanne;  but  the  Bishop  said  to  him,  “You 
lie  !  For  in  such  a  case  I  would  show  favour  to  no 
one.”  The  Cardinal  of  England  reproved  his  chaplain 
and  told  him  to  be  silent. 

Maître  Richard  Grouchet  ,  Priest,  Master  of  Arts, 
Bachelor  of  Theology ,  Canon  of  the  Cathedral  Church 
of  La  Saussaye  in  the  diocese  of  Evreux  :  Examined , 
May  qth,  1452. 

Maîtres  Jean  Pigache,  Pierre  Minier,  and  I  myself, 
who  was  with  them,  gave  our  opinion  only  under 
terror  of  threats.  We  stayed  to  the  Trial,  but  had 
thoughts  of  flight.  I  many  times  heard  from  Pierre 
Maurice  that,  after  the  sermon  at  Saint-Ouen,  he  had 
warned  Jeanne  to  hold  to  her  good  purpose  ;  and  the 
English,  much  displeased,  threatened  to  strike  him. 

I  think  the  notaries  wrote  with  fidelity.  I  saw  and 
heard  that  the  Bishop  of  Beauvais  bitterly  upbraided 
them  when  they  did  not  do  as  he  wished  :  the  whole 
affair,  so  far  as  I  saw  and  heard,  was  carried  on  tumul¬ 
tuously.  So  far  as  I  saw,  no  one  was  permitted  to 
instruct  or  counsel  Jeanne,  nor  did  I  see  that  she  either 
asked  for  or  was  offered  Counsel  :  but  I  am  not  sure  of 
this.  I  do  not  know  whether  any  one  was  in  danger  of 
losing  his  life  by  defending  her,  but  I  know  well  that 
when  difficult  questions  were  put  to  Jeanne,  whoever 
wished  to  direct  her  was  harshly  reproved  and  accused 
of  partiality,  sometimes  by  the  Bishop  of  Beauvais  and 
sometimes  by  Maître  Jean  Beaupère,  who  said  to 
those  who  wished  to  advise,  that  they  should  leave 
her  to  speak  and  that  the  business  of  interrogation 
was  theirs. 

Jeanne  was  in  prison,  in  the  Castle  of  Rouen,  where 
she  was  guarded  and  brought  backwards  and  forwards 
by  the  English  ;  but  as  to  fetters  and  chains  I  know 


p 


2io  JEANNE  D’ARC 

nothing,  though  I  have  often  heard  that  she  was  harshly 
and  straitly  bound. 

I  saw  and  heard  at  the  Trial  that  when  Jeanne  was 
asked  if  she  would  submit  to  the  Bishop  of  Beauvais 
and  others  of  the  Assessors  then  named,  she  replied  that 
she  would  not,  but  she  would  submit  to  the  Pope  and  the 
Catholic  Church,  praying  that  she  might  be  conducted 
to  the  Pope.  When  she  was  told  that  the  Process  would 
be  sent  to  the  Pope  for  him  to  judge,  she  replied  that 
she  did  not  wish  this,  because  she  did  not  know  what 
might  be  put  in  this  Process,  but  that  she  wished  to  be 
taken  herself  and  interrogated  by  the  Pope. 

I  did  not  know,  nor  did  I  ever  hear,  that  there  was 
ever  any  secular  sentence  pronounced  against  Jeanne. 
I  was  not  present,  but  the  public  voice  and  rumour  said 
that  she  had  been  violently  and  unjustly  done  to  death. 

Messire  Jean  Lefevre,  Bishop  of  Démétriade,  of 
the  Order  of  Saint  Augustin  in  the  Convent  at  Rouen , 
S.T.P.  :  Examined ,  May  gth,  1452. 

When  Jeanne  was  asked  if  she  were  in  the  Grace  of 
God,  I,  who  was  present,  said  it  was  not  a  suitable 
question  for  such  a  girl.  Then  the  Bishop  of  Beauvais 
said  to  me,  “It  will  be  better  for  you  if  you  keep 
silent.” 

Jeanne  answered  with  great  prudence  the  questions 
put  to  her,  with  the  exception  of  the  subject  of  her 
revelations  from  God  :  for  the  space  of  three  weeks  I 
believed  her  to  be  inspired.  She  was  asked  very 
profound  questions,  as  to  which  she  showed  herself 
quite  capable  ;  sometimes  they  interrupted  the  enquiry, 
going  from  one  subject  to  another,  that  they  might  make 
her  change  her  purpose.  The  Examinations  were  very 
long,  lasting  sometimes  two  or  three  hours,  so  that  the 
Doctors  present  were  much  fatigued. 


/y  kdim  jj,u'>  w  it  U  VIH  L<H1  kru  |  ^XtlpOM  Jf?C 

f**"  1**1  f"****  Aj'i:M"”*<  f  \\  e,  j  .iP^Æ 

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■*  '*'"3*"»'  (tejfo&H-  ffr  y^^r^ptTi.  fufipGy  'bxgtovHY  _ 

/vflv“Al  ‘r  ‘V‘v  ma‘ul'uu  /^>  /**«*#  hrf&tLS*  »uittt*Jii[) 


^v«tv.\,  ^u^ncnvS*,  tt-tcuft*fift3: 


^  H^*Vm*V  O  Hwttt$il*<fct  ^/ 

a&pL 


7  J~.r  pW«tv^x)  .mu^nCHvSv,  i^c»i!WrW^A*Utfl, 
Clhuv,  ^u,  s'*fsp*p$A W*a^ 


f  WlK  P^V**  &*JU  pfj  M<H*ey2 
„  D  r  S)  .  L  1  <k  *  .  ’ 


&  X*  p=P  ^?vp^  Un  /ty 

9^v>hv<-  -P ^  ».,  ^iC*  -h«(W  faJo,  ^ 


^ytj^\*SitZ<U-  i&  pStClftVi.  |m 


,,  ,  ^  yl&r*£t+l  S^u.jy 

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VA 


^^IJ*  J<£cu,  fyti!  9*tt?<p$bi$  h? y^lljl^t 


FACSIMILE  OF  A  PAGE  OF  THE  PROCESS  OF  JEANNE  D’ARC. 


SECOND  AND  THIRD  ENQUIRIES  21 1 

Messire  Thomas  Marie,  Priest ,  Bachelor  in  Theology, 
Prior  of  Saint  Michael,  near  Rouen,  of  the  Order  of 
Saint  Benedict  :  Examined,  May  7th,  1452. 

Jeanne  had  done  marvels  in  war  :  and,  as  the  English 
are  commonly  superstitious,  they  thought  there  was  a  fate 
with  her.  Therefore,  in  my  opinion,  they,  in  all  their 
counsels  and  elsewhere,  desired  her  death. 

[When  asked  how  he  knew  the  English  were  super¬ 
stitious,  he  answered  that  it  was  commonly  so  reported, 
and  was  a  popular  proverb.] 

I  heard  from  a  certain  locksmith  that  he  had  made  an 
iron  cage  high  enough  to  allow  her  to  stand  upright. 
[When  asked  if  she  were  ever  put  into  it  :]  I  believe  so  ; 
I  knew  nothing  of  her  keepers. 

I  have  heard,  that  after  the  first  preaching,  when  she 
was  taken  back  to  the  prison  of  the  Castle,  she  was  the 
victim  of  so  many  oppressions  that  she  said  she  would 
rather  die  than  remain  with  these  English. 

Where  the  judgment  is  not  free,  neither  Process  nor 
sentence  is  of  value  ;  but  whether  in  this  Case  the 
Judges  and  Assessors  were  free,  I  know  not  beyond 
what  I  have  before  stated. 

I  heard  from  many  that  they  saw  the  name  Jesus 
written  in  the  flames  of  the  fire  in  which  she  was 
burnt. 

I  can  well  believe  that  if  the  English  had  had  such  a 
woman,  they  would  have  honoured  her  much  and  not 
have  treated  her  in  this  manner. 

Maître  Jean  de  Fave,  Master  of  Arts ,  Licentiate 
in  Law  ;  living  at  Rouen;  Commissary  :  Examined, , 
May  qth,  1452. 

After  the  first  preaching,  when  she  was  taken  back  to 
prison,  some  of  the  soldiers  insulted  her,  and  their  chiefs 
allowed  them  to  do  so.  Some  of  the  leaders  of  the 


r  2 


212 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


English — as  I  heard — were  angry  with  the  Bishop  of 
Beauvais,  the  Doctors,  and  the  other  Assessors  in  the 
Trial,  because  she  had  not  been  convicted  and  condemned 
and  taken  to  execution  ;  and  I  heard  it  said  that  some 
of  the  English,  in  their  indignation  against  the  Bishop 
and  the  Doctors,  would  have  drawn  their  swords  to 
attack  them,  if  not  to  slay  them,  saying  that  the  King 
was  wasting  his  money  on  such  as  they.  I  also  heard 
that  when  the  Earl  of  Warwick,  after  this  first  sermon, 
complained  to  the  Bishop  and  the  Doctors,  saying  that 
the  King  was  in  a  bad  way,  for  Jeanne  had  escaped 
them,  one  of  them  replied:  “Take  no  heed  to  it,  my 
lord  ;  we  shall  soon  have  her  again.” 

The  English  were  discontented  with  Maître  Guillaume 
Manchon,  the  notary  :  they  held  him  in  suspicion  as 
favourable  to  Jeanne,  because  he  had  not  been  willing  to 
come  to  the  Trial,  and  did  not  conduct  himself  to  their 
liking. 

Maître  Jean  Ricquier,  Priest ,  Curé  of  Hendicourt 
\testimony  of  no  importance\ 


DEPOSITIONS  AT  DOMREMY:  1455. 


Twelve  questions  were  prepared  for  information  to  be 
taken  in  the  cotmtry  of  the  late  Jeanne ,  commonly  called 
the  Maid. 


Examination  of  Witnesses. 

Jean  Morel,  of  Greux ,  labourer. 

Jeanne  was  born  at  Domremy  and  was  baptised 
at  the  Parish  Church  of  Saint  Remy,  in  that  place. 
Her  father  was  named  Jacques  d’Arc,  her  mother 
Isabelle — both  labourers  living  together  at  Domremy. 
They  were,  as  I  saw  and  knew,  good  and  faithful 
Catholics,  labourers  of  good  repute  and  honest  life.  I 
lived  much  with  them,  I  was  one  of  the  godfathers 
of  Jeannette.  She  had  three  godmothers — the  wife  of 
Etienne  Thévenin,  Beatrix,  Widow  Estellin,  both  living 
at  Domremy  ;  and  Jeannette,  widow  of  Thiesselin  of 
Viteaux,  living  at  Neufchâteau.  From  her  early 
youth,  Jeannette  was  brought  up  with  care  in  the  Faith, 
and  in  good  morals  ;  she  was  so  good  that  all  the 
village  of  Domremy  loved  her.  Jeannette  knew  her 
Belief  and  her  Pater  and  Ave  as  well  as  any  of  her 
companions.  She  had  modest  ways,  as  beseemed  one 
whose  parents  were  not  rich.  Up  to  the  time  she 
left  her  parents  she  followed  the  plough  and  sometimes 
minded  the  cattle  in  the  fields.  Also  she  did  the  usual 


214 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


duties  of  women,  such  as  spinning,  and  other  things. 

I  know  she  liked  to  go  often  to  the  Hermitage  of  the 
Blessed  Marie  of  Bermont,  near  Domrémy  ;  I  often  saw 
her  go  there.  She  was  there  when  her  parents  thought 
her  with  the  plough  or  in  the  fields  ;  and  when  she 
heard  the  Mass-bell,  if  she  were  in  the  fields,  she  would 
go  back  to  the  village  and  to  the  Church,  in  order  to 
hear  Mass.  I  have  been  witness  of  this  many  times. 

I  have  seen  her  confess  at  Easter-tide  and  other 
solemn  Feasts.  I  saw  her  confess  to  Messire  Guil¬ 
laume  Fronte,  who  was  then  Curé  of  the  Parish  of  Saint 
Remy. 

On  the  subject  of  the  Fairies’  tree,  I  have  heard  that 
the  Fairies  came  there  long  ago  to  dance  ;  but,  since 
the  Gospel  of  Saint  John  has  been  read  under  the  tree, 
they  come  no  more.  At  the  present  day,  on  the  Sunday 
when  in  the  Holy  Church  of  God  the  Introit  to  the 
Mass  ‘  Laetare  Jerusalem  ’  is  sung,  called  with  us  ‘the 
Sunday  of  the  Wells,’  the  young  maidens  and  youths  of 
Domremy  are  accustomed  to  go  there,  and  also  in  the 
spring  and  summer  and  on  festival  days  ;  they  dance 
there  and  have  a  feast.  On  their  return,  they  go 
dancing  and  playing  to  the  Well  of  the  Thorn,  where 
they  drink  and  amuse  themselves,  gathering  flowers. 
Jeanne  the  Maid  went  there,  like  all  the  other  girls  at 
those  times,  and  did  as  they  did  ;  but  I  never  heard  say 
that  she  went  there  alone,  either  to  the  tree  or  to  the 
well — which  is  nearer  to  the  village  than  the  tree — or  that 
she  went  for  any  other  purpose  than  to  walk  about  and 
play  like  her  companions.  When  Jeanne  left  her  father’s 
house,  she  went  two  or  three  times  to  Vaucouleurs  to 
speak  to  the  Bailly.  I  heard  it  said  that  the  Lord 
Charles,  then  Duke  of  Lorraine,  wished  to  see  her,  and 
gave  her  a  black  horse. 

I  have  no  more  to  say,  except  that  in  the  month  of 
July  I  was  at  Chalons,  at  the  time  when  it  was  said  that 


DEPOSITIONS  AT  DOMREMY  :  1455 


215 


the  King  was  going  to  Rheims  to  be  anointed.1  I  found 
Jeanne  at  Chalons  and  she  made  me  a  present  of  a  red 
dress  she  had  been  wearing.  I  know  nothing  of  the 
enquiry  made  at  Domremy.  When  Jeanne  went  to 
Neufchâteau  on  account  of  the  soldiers,  she  was  always 
in  the  company  of  her  father  and  mother,  who  stayed 
there  four  days,  and  then  returned  to  Domremy.  I  am 
sure  of  what  I  say,  because  I  went  with  the  rest  to 
Neufchâteau  and  I  saw  Jeannette  there  with  her  parents. 

Messire  Dominique  Jacob,  Curé  of  the  Parish 
Church  of  Montier-sur-Saulx. 

Jeanne  was  older  than  I.  I  knew  her  and  re¬ 
member  her  for  the  three  or  four  years  before  her 
departure  from  home.  She  was  a  well-brought-up  girl, 
and  well-behaved  ;  and  she  often  attended  Church. 
Sometimes,  when  the  village  bell  rang  for  service,  I  saw 
her  kneel  down  and  pray  with  great  devotion. 

Beatrix,  widow  of  Estellin,  labourer,  of  Domremy. 

Jeannette  was  born,  at  Domremy,  of  Jacques  d’Arc 
and  Isabelle,  his  wife,  labourers,  good  and  true 
Catholics,  honest  folk  and  worthy,  according  to  their 
ability,  but  not  rich.  She  was  baptised  at  the  Church  of 
Saint  Remy.  She  had  as  god-fathers,  Jean  Morel,  Jean 
de  Laxart,  and  the  late  Jean  Raiguesson  ;  and  as 
god-mothers,  Jeannette,  widow  Thiesselin,  Jeannette 
Thévenin,  and  myself.  Jeanne  was  suitably  instructed  in 
the  Catholic  Faith,  like  other  young  girls  of  her  age. 

1  Jeanne’s  father  went  also  to  Rheims  for  the  coronation.  There  still 
exists  in  the  old  accounts  of  the  town  an  item  for  his  expenses  at  the  inn  ; 
and,  in  the  Compte  of  the  Treasurer  Raguier  there  is  also  an  entry  of 
60  livres  tournois,  paid  Jeanne  to  give  to  her  father.  On  the  day  after  the 
coronation,  Jeanne  obtained  from  the  King  an  exemption  from  taxes  for  the 
village  of  Domremy  and  Greux  :  this  document,  dated  July  31st,  1429,  still 
exists  in  the  Archives  of  France.  This  exemption  from  taxes  has  now  lapsed. 


2l6 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


Up  to  her  departure,  she  was  properly  brought  up  ;  she 
was  a  chaste  maiden,  and  of  modest  habits.  She 
frequented  with  great  devotion,  churches  and  holy 
places  ;  and,  after  the  village  of  Domremy  was  burned, 
she  went  on  Feast  Days  to  attend  Mass  at  Greux.  She 
confessed  willingly  at  festivals,  principally  at  the  Feast 
of  the  most  Holy  Easter,  the  Resurrection  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  I  do  not  think  there  was  any  one  better 
than  she  in  our  two  villages.  She  employed  herself  at 
home  with  many  duties  in  the  house,  spinning  hemp  or 
wool,  following  the  plough,  or  going  to  harvest,  according 
to  the  season.  When  it  was  her  father’s  turn,  she  some¬ 
times  kept  the  cattle  and  the  flocks  of  the  village  for 
him.  When  Jeannette  went  to  Neufchâteau,  all  the 
village  had  fled.  I  saw  her  there,  always  with  her  father 
and  mother.  Up  to  her  going  into  France,  Jeannette 
had  never  obeyed  any  one  or  worked  for  any  one  but 
her  father. 

Jeannette,  wife  of  Thévenin,  cartwright  \gave  evidence 
similar  to  the  preceding,  as  did]  Jean  Moen,  of  Domremy, 
cartwright ,  living  at  Coussey,  near  Neufchâteau,  [and] 
Jacquier  of  Saint  Amance,  near  Nancy. 

Messire  Etienne  of  Sionne,  Curé  of  the  Parish 
Church  of  Ronce ssey- sous- Neufchâteau. 

Many  times  I  heard  Messire  Guillaume  Fronte, 
in  his  lifetime  Curé  of  Domremy,  say  that  Jeanne 
the  Maid  was  a  simple  and  good  girl,  pious,  well- 
brought-up,  and  God-fearing,  and  without  her  like 
in  the  whole  village.  Often  did  she  confess  her  sins  ; 
and,  if  she  had  had  money,  she  would  have  given  it 
to  him,  he  told  me,  to  say  Masses.  Every  day,  when 
he  celebrated  Mass,  she  was  there.  I  heard  it  said 
by  a  great  number  of  persons  that  Jeannette,  when 


DEPOSITIONS  AT  DOMREMY  :  1455  217 

she  went  to  Neufchâteau,  lived  with  a  worthy  woman 
named  La  Rousse  ;  and  that  she  always  remained  in 
the  company  of  her  father  and  the  other  inhabitants 
of  Domremy,  who  had  fled  there. 

Jeannette,  widow  of  Thiesselin  of  Viteaux,  formerly 
clerk  at  Neufchâteau. 

I  often  saw  her  confess  to  Messire  Guillaume 
Fronte,  the  Curé  of  the  parish.  She  never  swore,  and, 
to  affirm  strongly,  contented  herself  with  saying,  “  With¬ 
out  fail  !  ”  She  was  no  dancer  ;  and,  sometimes,  when 
the  others  were  singing  and  dancing,  she  went  to  prayer. 
Jeannette  was  fond  of  work,  spinning,  looking  after 
the  house,  and,  when  necessary,  taking  her  turn  at 
minding  her  father’s  cattle.  There  is  a  tree  by  us  called 
the  Ladies’  Tree,  because,  in  ancient  days,  the  Sieur 
Pierre  Granier,  Seigneur  de  Bourlement,  and  a  lady 
called  Fée  met  under  this  tree  and  conversed  together  : 
I  have  heard  it  read  in  a  romance.  The  Seigneurs 
of  Domremy  and  their  ladies — at  least,  the  Lady 
Beatrix,  wife  of  Pierre  de  Bourlement,  and  the  said 
Pierre— accompanied  by  their  daughters,  came  some¬ 
times  to  walk  round  this  tree.  In  the  same  way, 
every  year  the  young  girls  and  youths  of  Domremy 
came  to  walk  there,  on  the  Laetare  Sunday — called  ‘  the 
Sunday  of  the  Wells  ’  :  they  ate  and  danced  there,  and 
went  to  drink  at  the  Well  of  the  Thorn.  But  I  do  not 
remember  if  Jeanne  were  ever  under  this  tree.  I  never 
heard  anything  evil  said  about  her  on  account  of  this 
tree. 

Louis  de  Martigny,  Squire,  living  at  Martigny-les- 
Gerbonveaux,  near  Neufchâteau. 

I  heard  that  Jeanne,  when  she  wanted  to  go  into 
France,  went  first  to  the  Bailly  of  Chaumont,  and  after- 


2i8 


JEANNE  D’ARC 

wards  to  the  Lord  Duke  de  Lorraine,  who  gave  her  a 
horse  and  some  money.  Bertrand  de  Poulengey,  Jean  de 
Metz,  Jean  Dieu-le-Ward,  and  Colet  de  Vienne  after¬ 
wards  conducted  her  to  the  King. 

Thévenin  Le  Royer,  cartwright ,  a  native  of 
Chermisey ,  near  N euf château,  residing  at  Domremy , 
husband  of  one  of  Jeanne  s  God-mothers  [ evidence  similar 
to  the  preceding J. 

Bertrand  Lacloppe,  that  cher,  of  Domremy. 

One  day,  a  man 1  of  Burey-le-Petit  came  to  seek 
Jeanne  at  Domremy,  and  took  her  to  speak  with  the 
Bailly  of  Vaucouleurs  :  I  heard  say  that  it  was  this  Bailly 
who  sent  her  to  the  King.  The  soldiers  having  come 
to  Domremy,  all  the  people  of  the  village  went  to  take 
refuge  at  Neufchâteau.  Jeannette  and  her  parents  did 
as  the  others  did  :  she  stayed  there  about  four  days, 
always  in  their  company. 

Perrin  Le  Drapier,  of  Domremy ,  Churchwarden  of 
the  Parish  Church  and  Bell-ringer. 

From  her  earliest  years  till  her  departure,  Jeannette 
the  Maid  was  a  good  girl,  chaste,  simple,  modest, 
never  blaspheming  God  nor  the  Saints,  fearing  God. 
She  loved  to  go  to  Church  and  confessed  often.  I 
can  attest  what  I  say,  for  I  was  then  attached  to  the 
Church  of  Saint  Remy,  and  often  I  saw  Jeanne  come 
there  to  Mass  and  other  Offices.  When  I  forgot  to  ring 
for  Service,  Jeanne  scolded  me,  saying  I  had  done 
wrong  ;  and  she  promised  to  give  me  some  of  the  wool 
of  her  flock  if  I  would  ring  more  diligently.  Often  she 
went  with  her  sister  and  others  to  the  Church  and 
Hermitage  of  Bermont.  She  was  very  charitable,  and 

1  Durand  Laxart,  her  uncle. 


DEPOSITIONS  AT  DOMREMY:  1455 


219 


very  industrious,  employed  herself  in  spinning  and 
divers  other  works  in  her  father’s  house  ;  sometimes  she 
went  to  the  plough,  or  took  care  of  the  flock  when  it 
was  her  turn.  When  Jeanne  left  her  father’s  house,, 
she  went  with  her  uncle  Durand  Laxart  to  Vaucouleurs, 
to  seek  Robert  de  Baudricourt,  who  was  then  captain 
there. 

Gerard  Guillemette,  labourer,  of  Greux. 

When  Jeanne  left  her  father’s  house,  I  saw  her  pass 
before  my  father’s  house,  with  her  uncle  Durand  Laxart. 
“Adieu,”  she  said  to  my  father,  “  I  am  going  to  Vau¬ 
couleurs.”  I  heard  afterwards  that  she  had  gone  to 
France.  I  was  at  Neufchâteau  with  Jeanne,  and  her 
parents.  I  saw  her  always  with  them,  excepting  that, 
for  three  or  four  days,  she  did,  under  their  eyes,  help  the 
hostess  at  whose  house  they  were  lodging, — an  honest 
woman  named  La  Rousse.  I  know  well  that  they  only 
remained  at  Neufchâteau  four  or  five  days.  When  the 
soldiers  had  gone,  Jeanne  returned  to  Domremy  with 
her  parents. 

Hauviette,  wife  of  Gerard  of  Syonne,  near  Neuf¬ 
château. 

She  was  a  good  girl,  simple  and  gentle  ;  she  went 
willingly  and  often  to  Church,  and  Holy  places.  Often 
she  was  bashful  when  others  reproached  her  with  going 
too  devotedly  to  Church.  There  was  a  tree  in  the 
neighbourhood  that,  from  ancient  days,  had  been  called 
the  Ladies’  Tree.  It  was  said  formerly  that  ladies, 
called  Fairies,  came  under  this  tree  ;  but  I  never  heard 
any  one  say  they  had  been  seen  there.  The  young 
people  of  the  village  were  accustomed  to  go  to  this  tree, 
taking  food  with  them,  and  to  the  Well  of  the  Thorn1 

1  This  is  also  called  the  “  Fontaine  aux  Groseilliers  ”  ;  the  Latin  name  is 
probably  intended  for  Rhamnus,  the  Buckthorn. 


220 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


[Ad  fontem  Rannorum ,  or,  “  ad  Rannos  ”]  on  the  Sun¬ 
day  of  ‘  Laetare  Jerusalem,’1  called  the  Sunday  of  the 
Wells.  I  often  went  there  with  Jeanne,  who  was  my 
friend,  and  with  other  young  girls  on  the  said  Sunday  of 
the  Wells.  We  ate  there,  ran  about,  and  played.  Also, 
we  took  nuts  to  this  tree  and  well.  I  did  not  know  of 
Jeanne’s  departure  :  I  wept  much  ;  I  loved  her  dearly 
for  her  goodness  and  because  she  was  my  friend.  Jeanne 
was  always  with  her  father  and  mother  at  Neufchâteau. 

I  also  was  at  Neufchâteau,  and  saw  her  there  all  the 
time. 

Jean  Waterin,  labourer,  of  Greux. 

I  saw  Jeannette  very  often.  In  our  childhood,  we 
often  followed  together  her  father's  plough,  and  we 
went  together  with  the  other  children  of  the  village  to 
the  meadows  or  pastures.  Often,  when  we  were  all  at 
play,  Jeannette  would  retire  alone  to  “  talk  with  God.”  I 
and  the  others  laughed  at  her  for  this.  She  was  simple 
and  good,  frequenting  the  Church  and  Holy  places. 
Often,  when  she  was  in  the  fields  and  heard  the  bells 
ring,  she  would  drop  on  her  knees. 

Gerardin,  labourer ,  of  Epinal. 

Of  her  departure  for  Vaucouleurs  I  know  nothing. 
But,  at  the  time  when  she  was  thinking  of  leaving  the 
village,  she  said  to  me,  one  day  :  “  Gossip,  if  you  were 
not  a  Burgundian,  I  would  tell  you  something.”  I 
thought  it  was  on  the  subject  of  some  marriage  which 
she  might  have  in  her  head.  After  her  departure,  I 
saw  her  at  Chalons, — I  and  four  other  inhabitants 
of  this  place.  She  told  us  she  feared  nothing  but 
treason. 

1  Mid- Lent  Sunday,  the  4th  Sunday  in  Lent  ;  so-called,  because  the  introit 
for  the  day  begins,  “  Laetare  Jerusalem ,”  &c. 


DEPOSITIONS  AT  DOMREMY:  1455  221 


Simonin  Musnier,  labourer ,  of  Domrémy. 

I  was  brought  up  with  Jeannette,  close  to  her 
house.  I  know  that  she  was  good,  simple  and  pious, 
and  that  she  feared  God  and  the  Saints.  She  loved 
Church  and  Holy  places  ;  she  was  very  charitable,  and 
liked  to  take  care  of  the  sick.  I  know  this  of  a  surety, 
for,  in  my  childhood,  I  fell  ill,  and  it  was  she  who  nursed 
me.  When  the  Church  bells  rang,  I  have  seen  her 
kneel  down  and  make  the  sign  of  the  Cross. 

Isabellette,  wife  of  Gerardin ,  labourer ,  of  Epinal. 

From  my  childhood  I  knew  the  parents  of  Jeannette  ; 
as  to  Jeannette,  herself,  I  knew  her  in  my  youth  and 
as  long  as  she  remained  with  her  parents.  She  was 
very  hospitable  to  the  poor,  and  would  even  sleep  on  the 
hearth  in  order  that  the  poor  might  lie  in  her  bed.  She 
was  not  fond  of  playing,  at  which  we,  her  companions, 
complained.  She  liked  work  ;  and  would  spin,  labour 
with  her  father,  look  after  the  house,  and  sometimes 
mind  the  sheep.  She  was  never  seen  idling  in  the 
roads  ;  she  was  more  often  in  Church  at  prayer. 

I  often  saw  her  at  confession,  for  she  was  my 
gossip,  and  god-mother  to  my  son  Nicolas.  I  was  often 
with  her,  and  saw  her  go  to  confession  to  Messire 
Guillaume,  who  was  then  our  Curé.  When  all  was  well 
at  the  château,  the  Seigneurs  and  their  ladies  often 
came  to  walk  beneath  the  Ladies’  Tree,  on  the  Sunday 
of  Laetare,  which  we  call  ‘  the  Sunday  of  the  Wells  ’  ; 
and  on  certain  other  days,  in  fine  weather,  they  brought 
with  them  the  village  boys  and  girls.  The  Seigneur 
Pierre  de  Bourlement  and  his  lady,  who  was  from 
France,  took  me  there  on  the  said  Sunday  of  the  Wells 
many  times  in  my  childhood,  with  other  children. 
It  was  the  custom  to  go  every  year,  on  this  Sunday, 
to  play  and  walk  round  this  tree.  Jeannette  went 


222 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


with  us,  we  each  brought  provisions,  and,  the  meal 
ended,  went  to  refresh  ourselves  at  the  Well.  The  same 
thing  takes  place  now,  with  our  children. 

Mengette,  wife  of  Jean  Joy  art,  labourer. 

My  father’s  house  joined  the  house  of  Jacques  d’Arc  : 
so  I  knew  her  well.  We  often  spun  together,  and 
together  worked  at  the  ordinary  house-duties,  whether 
by  day  or  night.  She  was  a  good  Christian,  of 
good  manners  and  well  brought  up.  She  loved  the 
Church,  and  went  there  often,  and  gave  alms  from  the 
goods  of  her  father.  She  was  a  good  girl,  simple  and 
pious — so  much  so  that  I  and  her  companions  told  her 
she  was  too  pious. 

Messire  Jean  Colin,  Curé  of  the  Parish  Church  at 
Domremy  and  Canon  of  the  Collegiate  Church  of  Saint- 
Nicolas  de  Brixey ,  near  Vaucouleurs. 

While  Jeanne  was  at  Vaucouleurs,  she  confessed 
to  me  two  or  three  times.  It  seemed  to  me,  to  my 
knowledge,  that  she  was  an  excellent  girl,  with  all  the 
signs  of  a  perfect  Christian  and  of  a  true  Catholic  ; 
she  was  fond  of  going  to  Church.  I  saw  her  at 
Vaucouleurs,  when  she  wanted  to  go  into  France,  and 
saw  her  mount  on  horseback  ;  with  her  were  Bertrand 
de  Poulengey,  Jean  de  Metz,  Colet  de  Vienne,  horse- 
soldiers  and  servants  of  Robert  de  Baudricourt. 

Colin,  son  of  Jean  Colin ,  labourer . 

I  heard  Durand  Laxart  say,  that  she  told  him  he 
must  conduct  her  to  Vaucouleurs,  that  she  wished  to  go 
into  France,  and  that  she  would  tell  her  father  she 
was  going  to  the  house  of  the  said  Durand  to  nurse  his 
wife.  And  this,  Durand  told  me,  was  done  ;  and  then, 
with  the  consent  of  her  father,  she  went  to  Vaucouleurs 
to  seek  Robert  de  Baudricourt. 


CHATEAU  DE  VAUCOULEURS, 
Porte  de  France. 


DEPOSITIONS  AT  DOMREMY  :  1455  223 

Jean  de  Novelemport,  Knight ,  called  Jean  de  Metz. 

When  Jeannette  was  at  Vaucouleurs,  I  saw  her 
dressed  in  a  red  dress,  poor  and  worn  ;  she  lived  at  the 
house  of  one  named  Henri  Leroyer.  “  What  are  you 
doing  here,  my  friend  ?  ”  I  said  to  her.  “  Must  the 
King  be  driven  from  the  kingdom  ;  and  are  we 
to  be  English  ?”  “I  am  come  here,”  she  answered 
me,  “  to  this  royal  town,1  to  speak  to  Robert  de  Baudri- 
court,  to  the  end  that  he  may  conduct  me  or  have  me 
conducted  to  the  King  :  but  Robert  cares  neither  for  me 
nor  for  my  words.  Nevertheless,  before  the  middle  of 
Lent,  I  must  be  with  the  King — even  if  I  have  to  wear 
down  my  feet  to  the  knees  !  No  one  in  the  world — 
neither  kings,  nor  dukes,  nor  the  daughter  of  the  King  of 
Scotland,2  nor  any  others — can  recover  the  kingdom  of 
France  ;  there  is  no  succour  to  be  expected  save  from 
me  ;  but,  nevertheless,  I  would  rather  spin  with  my  poor 
mother — for  this  is  not  my  proper  estate  :  it  is,  however, 
necessary  that  I  should  go,  and  do  this,  because  my  Lord 
wills  that  I  should  do  it.”  And  when  I  asked  her  who 
this  Lord  was,  she  told  me  it  was  God.  Then  I  pledged 
my  faith  to  her,  touching  her  hand,  and  promised  that, 
with  God’s  guidance,  I  would  conduct  her  to  the  King. 
I  asked  her  when  she  wished  to  start.  “  Sooner  at  once 
than  to-morrow,  and  sooner  to-morrow  than  later,”  she 
said.  I  asked  her  if  she  could  make  this  journey,  dressed 
as  she  was.  She  replied  that  she  would  willingly  take  a 
man’s  dress.  Then  I  gave  her  the  dress  and  equipment 
of  one  of  my  men.  Afterwards,  the  inhabitants  of  Vau¬ 
couleurs  had  a  man’s  dress  made  for  her,  with  all  the 
necessary  requisites  ;  I  also  procured  for  her  a  horse  at 
the  price  of  about  sixteen  francs.  Thus  dressed  and 
mounted,  and  furnished  with  a  safe-conduct  from  the 

1  “  Ad  ca7ncram  régis." 

2  Margaret,  daughter  of  James  I.  of  Scotland,  who  was  betrothed  to  Louis, 
afterwards  Louis  XI. 


224 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


Sieur  Charles,  Duke  de  Lorraine,  she  went  to  visit  the 
said  Lord  Duke.  I  accompanied  her  as  far  as  Toul.  On 
the  return  to  Vaucouleurs,  the  first  Sunday  in  Lent,1 
which  is  called  ‘  Dimanche  des  Bures  ’ — and  it  will  be,  if 
I  mistake  not,  twenty-seven  years  from  that  day  to  the 
coming  Lent 2 — I  and  Bertrand  de  Poulengey,  with  two  of 
my  men,  Colet  de  Vienne,  the  King’s  Messenger,  and 
the  Archer  Richard,  conducted  the  Maid  to  the  King, 
who  was  then  at  Chinon.  The  journey  was  made  at  the 
expense  of  Bertrand  de  Poulengey  and  myself.  We 
travelled  for  the  most  part  at  night,  for  fear  of  the 
Burgundians  and  the  English,  who  were  masters  of  the 
roads.  We  journeyed  eleven  days,  always  riding  towards 
the  said  town  of  Chinon.  On  the  way,  I  asked  her 
many  times  if  she  would  really  do  all  she  said.  “  Have 
no  fear,”  she  answered  us,  “what  I  am  commanded  to 
do,  I  will  do  ;  my  brothers  in  Paradise  have  told  me  how 
to  act  :  it  is  four  or  five  years  since  my  brothers  in 
Paradise  and  my  Lord — that  is,  God — told  me  that  I 
must  go  and  fight  in  order  to  regain  the  kingdom  of 
France.”  On  the  way,  Bertrand  and  I  slept  every  night 
by  her — Jeanne  being  at  my  side,  fully  dressed.  She 
inspired  me  with  such  respect  that  for  nothing  in  the 
world  would  I  have  dared  to  molest  her  ;  also,  never  did 
I  feel  towards  her — I  say  it  on  oath — any  carnal  desire. 
On  the  way  she  always  wished  to  hear  Mass.  She 
said  to  us  :  “If  we  can,  we  shall  do  well  to  hear  Mass.” 
But,  for  fear  of  being  recognized,  we  were  only  able  to 
hear  it  twice.  I  had  absolute  faith  in  her.  Her  words 
and  her  ardent  faith  in  God  inflamed  me.  I  believe 
she  was  sent  from  God  ;  she  never  swore,  she  loved  to 
attend  Mass,  she  confessed  often,  and  was  zealous  in 
giving  alms.  Many  times  was  I  obliged  to  hand  out  to 
her  the  money  she  gave  for  the  love  of  God.  While  we 
were  with  her,  we  found  her  always  good,  simple,  pious, 

1  February  13th,  1428.  2  1455- 


DEPOSITIONS  AT  DOMREMY:  1455 


225 


an  excellent  Christian,  well-behaved,  and  God-fearing. 
When  we  arrived  at  Chinon,1  we  presented  ourselves  to 
the  King’s  Court  and  Council.  I  know  she  had  there 
to  submit  to  long  enquiries. 

Michael  Lebuin,  labourer,  of  Domremy. 

I  knew  Jeannette  from  my  earliest  youth.  Of 
Jeanne’s  departure  for  Vaucouleurs  I  knew  nothing. 
But,  one  day — the  Eve  of  Saint  John  the  Baptist2 — 
she  said  to  me  :  “  Between  Coussy  and  Vaucouleurs 
there  is  a  young  girl,  who,  before  the  year  is  gone, 
will  have  the  King  of  France  consecrated.”  And,  in 
truth,  the  following  year  the  King  was  crowned  at 
Rheims.3  When  Jeanne  was  a  prisoner  I  saw  Nicolas 
Bailly,  Notary  of  Andelot,  coming  to  Domremy,  one 
day,  with  several  other  persons.  At  the  request  of  Jean 
de  Torcenay,  Bailly  of  Chaumont  for  the  pretended 
King  of  France  and  England,  he  proceeded  to  make 
enquiries  into  the  conduct  and  life  of  Jeanne.  But  he 
could  not  induce  the  inhabitants  of  Vaucouleurs  to 
depose.  I  believe  that  they  questioned  Jean  Begot,  at 
whose  house  they  were  staying.  Their  enquiry  re¬ 
vealed  nothing  against  Jeanne. 

Geoffroy  de  Fay. 

I  saw  Jeanne  the  Maid  when  she  came  to  Maxey-sur- 
Vays.4  When  Jeanne  came  to  Maxey,  she  came  sometimes 
to  my  house.  I  always  thought  her  a  good  girl,  simple 
and  pious.  Many  times  I  heard  her  speak  ;  she  said 
that  she  wished  to  go  into  France. 

Durand  Laxart,  of  Burey- le- Petit. 

Jeanne  was  of  the  family  of  Jeanne,  my  wife.  I 
knew  Jacques  d’Arc  and  Isabelle,  his  wife,  the  parents 
of  Jeanne  the  Maid  :  they  were  good  and  faithful 

1  March  6th,  1428.  2  June  23rd,  1428. 

3  Jub  1 7th,  1429.  4  Near  Vaucouleurs. 

Q 


226 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


Catholics,  and  of  good  repute.  She  was  a  girl  of  good 
disposition,  devout,  patient,  loving  the  Church,  going 
often  to  confession,  and  giving  to  the  poor  all  that  she 
could.  I  can  attest  this,  having  been  witness  thereof, 
both  at  Domremy  and  at  my  own  house  at  Burey,  where 
she  passed  six  weeks.1  I  went  to  fetch  her  from  her 
father’s  and  brought  her  to  my  house  ;  she  told  me  she 
wished  to  go  into  France,  to  the  Dauphin,  to  have  him 
crowned.  “  Was  it  not  foretold  formerly,”  she  said  to 
me,  “that  France  should  be  desolated2  by  a  woman,  and 
should  be  restored  by  a  maid  ?  ”  She  told  me  she 
wished  to  go,  herself,  and  seek  Robert  de  Baudricourt, 
in  order  that  he  might  have  her  conducted  to  the 
place  where  the  Dauphin  was.  But  many  times 
Robert  told  me  to  take  her  back  to  her  father  and  to 
box  her  ears.  When  she  saw  that  Robert  would  not 
do  as  she  asked,  she  took  some  of  my  garments  and 
said  she  would  start.  She  departed,  and  I  took  her 
to  Vaucouleurs  \i.e.  Saint-Nicolas3]. — Thence  she 
returned,  and  went  with  a  safe-conduct  to  the  Sieur 
Charles  de  Lorraine.  The  Duke  saw  her,  spoke  to  her, 
and  gave  her  four  francs,4  which  Jeanne  showed  to  me. 
She  came  back  to  Vaucouleurs  ;  and  the  inhabitants 
bought  for  her  a  man’s  garments  and  a  complete  warlike 
equipment.  Alain  de  Vaucouleurs  and  I  bought  her  a 
horse  for  the  price  of  twelve  francs,  which  we  paid,  and 
which  was  repaid  to  us  later  by  the  Sieur  Robert  de 
Baudricourt.  This  done,  Jean  de  Metz,  Bertrand  de 
Poulengey,  Colet  de  Vienne,  together  with  Richard  the 
Archer  and  two  men  of  the  suite  of  Jean  de  Metz  and 

1  This  covers  the  period  of  several  visits,  made  between  May  1428,  and 
February  1429. 

2  The  mother  of  Charles  VI I.,  who  denied  the  legitimacy  of  her  own 
son,  being  Burgundian  at  heart,  and  ratified  the  iniquitous  Treaty  of  Troyes, 
so  disastrous  for  France. 

3  In  the  text  Vaucouleurs  is  an  obvious  misprint  for  Saint-Nicolas. 

4  He  also  gave  her  a  horse  ;  cf.  previous  depositions. 


DEPOSITIONS  AT  DOMREMY:  1455 


227 


Bertrand,  conducted  Jeanne  to  the  place  where  the 
Dauphin  was. 

All  this,  as  I  now  say  it,  I  told  to  the  King.  I  know 
no  more,  except  that  I  saw  her  at  Rheims  at  the  King’s 
crowning. 

Catherine,  wife  of  Leroyer. 

Jeanne,  when  she  had  left  her  parents,  was  brought  to 
our  house  at  Vaucouleurs  by  Durand  Laxart,  her  uncle  ; 
she  wished  to  go  to  the  place  where  the  Dauphin  was. 
I  had  occasion  to  know  her  well  ;  she  was  an  excellent 
girl,  simple,  gentle,  respectful,  well-conducted,  loving  to 
go  to  Church. 

She  lived  with  us  at  Vaucouleurs,  at  different  times 
about  three  weeks.  She  spoke  to  the  Sieur  Robert  de 
Baudricourt,  that  he  might  have  her  conducted  to  the 
Dauphin,  but  Sieur  Robert  would  not  listen  to  her.  One 
day,  I  saw  Robert  de  Baudricourt — then  captain  of 
Vaucouleurs — and  Messire  Jean  Fournier,  our  Curé, 
come  in  to  our  house  to  visit  her.  After  they  were  gone, 
she  told  me  that  the  Priest  had  his  stole,  and  that,  in 
presence  of  the  said  captain,  he  adjured  her,  saying  : 
“  If  you  are  an  evil  spirit,  avaunt  !  If  you  are  a  good 
spirit,  approach  !  ”  Then  Jeanne  drew  near  the  Priest 
and  threw  herself  at  his  knees  :  she  said  he  was  wrong 
to  act  so,  for  he  had  heard  her  in  confession.  When  she 
saw  that  Robert  refused  to  conduct  her  to  the  King,  she 
said  to  me  that,  nevertheless,  she  would  go  and  seek  the 
Dauphin.  “  Do  you  not  know,”  she  said,  “  the  prophecy 
which  says  that  France,  lost  by  a  woman,  shall  be  saved 
by  a  maiden  from  the  Marches  of  Lorraine  ?  ”  I  did 
indeed  remember  the  prophecy,  and  remained  stupefied. 
Jacques  Alain  and  Durand  Laxart  took  her  to  Saint- 
Nicolas,1  then  came  back  with  her  to  Vaucouleurs. 

1  Saint-Nicolas-du-Port — then  a  celebrated  centre  of  pilgrimage — near 
Nancy.  As  both  Poulengey  and  Laxart  connect  this  pilgrimage  with  her 

Q  2 


228  JEANNE  D’ARC 

Henri  Leroyer,  cartwright, formerly  of  Vaucouleurs. 

Jeanne,  when  she  came  to  Vaucouleurs,  lodged  in  our 
house.  She  said  to  us,  “It  is  necessary  that  I  should 
go  to  the  noble  Dauphin  ;  my  Lord  the  King  of  Heaven 
wills  that  I  should  go  ;  I  go  in  the  name  of  the  King 
of  Heaven  ;  even  if  I  have  to  drag  myself  thither  on 
my  knees,  I  shall  go  !  ”  When  she  arrived  at  our  house, 
she  was  wearing  a  woman’s  dress,  of  a  red  colour. 
At  Vaucouleurs  she  received  the  gift  of  a  man’s  dress 
and  a  complete  equipment  ;  then,  mounted  on  a  horse, 
she  was  conducted  to  the  place  where  the  Dauphin  was, 
by  Jean  de  Metz,  Bertrand  de  Poulengey,  and  two  of 
their  servants — Colet  de  Vienne,  and  Richard  the 
Archer.  I  saw  them  depart,  all  six,  and  Jeanne  with 
them.  When  she  spoke  of  leaving,  she  was  asked  how 
she  thought  she  could  effect  such  a  journey  and  escape 
the  enemy.  “  I  fear  them  not,”  she  answered,  “  I  have 
a  sure  road  :  if  the  enemy  are  on  my  road,  I  have  God 
with  me,  Who  knows  how  to  prepare  the  way  to  the 
Lord  Dauphin.  I  was  born  to  do  this.” 


Albert  d’Ourches,  Seigneur  of  Ourches ,  near  Com- 
merey. 

I  saw  Jeanne  at  Vaucouleurs  when  she  arrived 
to  be  taken  to  the  King.  Many  times  I  heard  her 
then  say  that  she  wished  to  go  to  the  King,  and  that 
some  one  would  conduct  her  to  him,  for  it  would  be  to 
the  great  benefit  of  the  Dauphin. 

This  maiden  always  seemed  to  me  very  well  behaved. 
I  should  have  been  well  pleased  to  have  had  a  daughter 
as  good  as  she. 

visit  to  the  Duke  de  Lorraine,  whose  residence  was  at  Nancy,  it  is  clear 
that  Saint-Nicolas-du-Port  is  meant,  and  not  the  Chapel  of  St.  Nicolas 
near  Vaucouleurs. 


DEPOSITIONS  AT  DOMREMY:  1455  229 


Nicolas  Bailly,  Tabellion  ( Notary )  and  Deputy 
Royal  at  Andelot. 

As  Tabellion  I  was  appointed  by  the  Sieur  Jean  de 
Torcenay,  Knight,  then  Bailly  of  Chaumont,  by  the 
authority  of  the  pretended  King  of  France  and  England, 
and,  with  me,  the  late  Gerard  Petit — then  Provost  of 
the  said  Andelot 1 — to  proceed  to  an  enquiry  on  the 
subject  of  Jeanne,  at  that  time  detained  in  prison  at 
Rouen.  Many  times,  in  her  youth,  I  saw  Jeanne  before 
she  left  her  father’s  house  :  she  was  a  good  girl,  of  pure 
life  and  good  manners,  a  good  Catholic  who  loved  the 
Church  and  went  often  on  pilgrimage  to  the  Church  of 
Bermont,  and  confessed  nearly  every  month — as  I 
learned  from  a  number  of  the  inhabitants  of  Domremy, 
whom  I  had  to  question  on  the  subject  at  the  time  of 
the  enquiry  that  I  made  with  the  Provost  of  Andelot. 
When  I  and  the  late  Gerard  made  this  enquiry,  we 
examined  twelve  or  fifteen  witnesses.  Afterwards,  we 
certified  the  information  before  Simon  de  Thermes, 
Squire,  Lieutenant  of  the  Captain  of  Montclair. 

Guillot  Jacquier,  of  Andelot,  Kings  Sergeant  ;  [ evi¬ 
dence  similar  to  the  preceding.  ] 

Bertrand  de  Poulengey,  Squire. 

After  her  departure  from  her  father’s  roof,  I  often  saw 
Jeanne  at  Vaucouleurs  and  during  the  war.  I  remember 
often  to  have  heard  this  Ladies’  Tree  spoken  of.  I  have 
even  sat  beneath  it,  but  that  was  a  dozen  years  before  I 
saw  Jeanne.  Jeanne  came  to  Vaucouleurs,  I  think,  about 
Ascension  Day.2  I  saw  her  speaking  to  theCaptain,  Robert 
de  Baudricourt.  She  told  him  that  £<  she  came  to  him 

1  The  village  of  Domremy,  although  in  the  territory  of  Lorraine,  belonged 
to  France,  not  to  Lorraine  ;  for  administrative  purposes  it  was  a  dépendance 
of  Champagne. 

2  May  13th,  1428. 


230 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


in  the  name  of  her  Lord  ;  that  the  Dauphin  must  be 
compelled  to  persevere  and  to  give  battle  to  his  enemies, 
that  the  Lord  would  give  him  succour  before  the  middle 
of  Lent  ;  that  the  kingdom  belonged  not  to  him, 
the  Dauphin,  but  to  her  Lord  ;  that  her  Lord  would 
have  the  Dauphin  King  and  hold  the  kingdom  in  trust  ; 
that  she  would  make  him  King,  in  spite  of  his  enemies, 
and  would  conduct  him  to  his  coronation.”  “  But  who 
is  this  Lord  of  whom  you  speak  ?  ”  asked  Robert  of  her. 
“  The  King  of  Heaven,”  she  replied.  That  time  she 
went  back  to  her  father’s  house,  accompanied  by  one  of 
her  uncles,  named  Durand  Laxart.  Later,  towards  the 
commencement  of  Lent,  she  came  back  to  Vaucouleurs 
to  seek  companions,  so  as  to  go  to  the  Dauphin.  Then 
Jean  de  Metz  and  I  offered  to  conduct  her  to  the  King — 
at  that  time  Dauphin.  After  a  pilgrimage  to  Saint- 
Nicolas,  she  went  to  seek  the  Lord  Duke  de  Lorraine, 
who  had  sent  her  a  safe-conduct  and  asked  to  see  her. 
She  then  returned  to  Vaucouleurs  and  lodged  in  the 
house  of  Henry  Leroyer.  Then  Jean  de  Metz  and  I, 
aided  by  many  others  of  Vaucouleurs,  so  wrought  that 
she  put  off  her  woman’s  dress,  which  was  of  a  red  colour  ; 1 
we  procured  for  her  a  tunic  and  man’s  dress — spurs, 
leggings,  sword,  and  such-like — and  a  horse.  Then  we 
started  with  her  to  seek  the  Dauphin,  together  with 
Julian,  my  servant,  Jean  de  Honecourt,  servant  of  Jean 
de  Metz,  Colet  de  Vienne,  and  Richard  the  Archer. 
On  starting,  the  first  day,  fearing  to  be  taken  by  the 
Burgundians  and  the  English,  we  travelled  all  night. 
Jeanne  said  to  me  and  to  Jean  de  Metz,  while  we  were 
journeying,  that  it  would  be  well  for  us  to  hear  Mass  ; 
but  while  we  were  in  the  enemy’s  country,  we  could 
not,  for  fear  of  being  recognized.  At  night,  Jeanne 
slept  beside  John  de  Metz  and  myself,  fully  dressed 
and  armed.  I  was  young  then  ;  nevertheless  I  never 

1  See  Deposition  of  Jean  Morel. 


DEPOSITIONS  AT  DOMREMY  :  1455  231 

felt  towards  her  any  desire  :  I  should  never  have 
dared  to  molest  her,  because  of  the  great  goodness 
which  I  saw  in  her.  We  were  eleven  days  on  the  road, 
during  which  we  had  many  anxieties.  But  Jeanne  told 
us  always  that  we  had  nothing  to  fear,  and  that,  once 
arrived  at  Chinon,  the  noble  Dauphin  would  show  us 
good  countenance.  She  entirely  abstained  from  swearing. 
I  felt  myself  inspired  by  her  words,  for  I  saw  she  was  in¬ 
deed  a  messenger  of  God  ;  never  did  I  see  in  her  any  evil, 
but  always  she  was  as  good  as  if  she  had  been  a  saint. 
We  took  our  road  thus,  and,  without  many  obstacles, 
gained  Chinon,  where  the  King — then  Dauphin — was 
staying.  There  the  said  maid  was  presented  to  the 
nobles  in  the  King’s  suite,  to  whom  I  refer  for  the 
actions  of  the  said  Jeanne. 

Messire  Henri  Arnolin,  of  Gontrecourt-le-Château , 
near  Commercy,  Priest  ;  [ testimony  of  no  importance\ 

Messire  Jean  Lefumeux,  of  Vaucouleurs,  Canon  of 
the  Chapei  of  Saint  Mary  at  Vaucouleurs ,  and  Curé  of 
the  Parish  Church  of  Ugny. 

I  know  that  Jeanne  came  to  Vaucouleurs,  and  said 
that  she  wished  to  go  to  the  Dauphin.  I  was  then 
young,  and  attached  to  the  Chapel  of  the  Blessed  Mary 
at  Vaucouleurs.  I  often  saw  Jeanne  in  this  Chapel  ;  she 
behaved  with  great  piety,  attended  Mass  in  the  morning, 
and  remained  a  long  time  in  prayer.  I  have  also  seen 
her  1  in  the  crypt  of  the  Chapel  on  her  knees  before  the 
Blessed  Mary,  her  face  sometimes  bent  to  the  ground, 
sometimes  raised  to  heaven.  She  was  a  good  and  holy 
maiden. 

Jean  Jacquard,  labourer ,  of  Greux  ;  son  of  Jean , 
called  Guillemette  ;  [ evidence  similar  to  the  preceding^. 

1  This  Chapel  in  the  crypt  may  still  be  seen  at  Vaucouleurs. 


DEPOSITIONS  AT  ORLEANS:  1455. 


Jean,1  Bastard  of  Orleans ,  Count  de  Danois. 

I  think  that  Jeanne  was  sent  by  God,  and  that  her 
behaviour  in  war  was  a  fact  divine  rather  than  human. 
Many  reasons  make  me  think  so. 

I  was  at  Orleans,  then  besieged  by  the  English,  when 
the  report  spread  that  a  young  girl,  commonly  called  the 
Maid,  had  just  passed  through  Gien,  going  to  the  noble 
Dauphin,  with  the  avowed  intention  of  raising  the  siege  of 
Orleans  and  conducting  the  Dauphin  to  Rheims  for  his 
anointing.  I  was  then  entrusted  with  the  care  of  the 
town  of  Orleans  and  was  Lieutenant-General  of  the  King 
in  affairs  of  war.  In  order  to  be  better  informed  on  the 
subject  of  this  young  girl,  I  sent  to  the  King  the  Sieur 
de  Villars,  Seneschal  of  Beaucaire,  and  Janet  de  Tilly,2 
who  was  afterwards  Bailly  of  Vermandois. 

They  returned  from  the  King,  and  reported  to  me 
publicly,  in  presence  of  all  the  people  of  Orleans 
[assembled]  to  know  the  truth,  that  they  had  seen  the 
Maid  arrive  at  Chinon.  They  said  that  the  King  at  first 
had  no  wish  to  listen  to  her  :  she  even  remained  two 

1  Jean,  a  natural  son  of  Louis,  Duke  d’Orléans,  was  brought  up  with  the 
family  of  Orleans,  and  acknowledged  by  Valentine,  the  widowed  Duchess, 
after  the  murder  of  his  father  in  1407.  At  25  years  of  age,  in  company  with 
de  Gaucourt,  he  defeated  the  English  under  Warwick  at  Montargis  in  1427, 
and  afterwards  defended  Orleans  till  its  relief  in  1429.  He  was  created 
Count  de  Dunois,  in  1439. 

Then  Captain  of  Blois. 


COUNT  Dp;  DUNOISj 
Bastard  of  Orleans. 


DEPOSITIONS  AT  ORLEANS  :  1455  233 

days,  waiting,  until  she  was  permitted  to  present  herself 
before  him,  although  she  persisted  in  saying  that  she 
was  come  to  raise  the  siege  of  Orleans,  and  to  con¬ 
duct  the  Dauphin  to  Rheims,  in  order  that  he  might 
be  consecrated  ;  she  at  once  asked  for  men,  arms  and 
horses. 

Three  weeks  or  a  month  elapsed,  during  which  the 
King  had  her  examined  by  Clergy,  Prelates,  and  Doctors 
in  Theology,  as  to  her  words  and  deeds,  in  order  to  know 
if  he  might  receive  her  with  safety.  Then  the  King 
assembled  an  army  to  conduct  to  Orleans  a  convoy  of 
supplies. 

Hearing  the  opinion  of  the  Clergy  and  Prelates  that 
there  was  no  evil  in  this  Maid,  the  King  sent  her  with  the 
Lord  Archbishop  of  Rheims,1  then  Chancellor  of  France, 
and  the  Sieur  de  Gaucourt,  then  Grand  Steward,  to 
Blois,  where  those  were  who  had  the  charge  of  escorting 
the  convoy — that  is,  the  Sieurs  de  Rais 2  and  de 
Boussac,  Marshals  of  France  ;  de  Coulent,  Admiral  of 
France  ;  La  Hire  ;  and  Ambroise  de  Loré,  who  was  after¬ 
wards  Governor  of  Paris.  All,  at  the  head  of  the  army 
transporting  the  convoy,  came,  with  Jeanne,  in  good 
order,  by  way  of  the  Sologne,  to  the  Loire,  facing  the 
Church  of  Saint  Loup.  But  the  English  were  there  in 
great  number  :  and  the  army  escorting  the  convoy  did 
not  appear  to  me,  nor  to  the  other  captains,  in  sufficient 
force  to  resist  them  and  to  ensure  the  entrance  of  the 
convoy  on  that  side.  It  was  necessary  to  load  the 
convoy  on  boats,  which  were  procured  with  difficulty. 
But  to  reach  Orleans  it  was  necessary  to  sail  against  the 
stream,  and  the  wind  was  altogether  contrary. 

Then  Jeanne  said  to  me  :  “  Are  you  the  Bastard  of 
Orleans  ?  ”  “  Yes,”  I  answered  ;  “  and  I  am  very  glad 

1  Régnault  de  Chartres. 

2  Gilles  de  Laval,  Seigneur  de  Rais,  notorious  for  the  horrible  excesses 
which  brought  him  to  the  scaffold  in  1440. 


234 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


of  your  coming  !”  “Is  it  you  who  said  I  was  to 
come  on  this  side  [of  the  river],  and  that  I  should  not  go 
direct  to  the  side  where  Talbot  and  the  English  are  ?” 
“Yes,  and  those  more  wise  than  I  are  of  the  same 
opinion,  for  our  greater  success  and  safety.”  “  In  God’s 
Name,”  she  then  said,  “  the  counsel  of  My  Lord  is  safer 
and  wiser  than  yours.  You  thought  to  deceive  me,  and 
it  is  yourselves  who  are  deceived,  for  I  bring  you  better 
succour  than  has  ever  come  to  any  general  or  town 
whatsoever — the  succour  of  the  King  of  Heaven.  This 
succour  does  not  come  from  me,  but  from  God  Himself, 
Who,  at  the  prayers  of  Saint  Louis  and  Saint  Charle¬ 
magne,  has  had  compassion  on  the  town  of  Orleans,  and 
will  not  suffer  the  enemy  to  hold  at  the  same  time  the 
Duke 1  and  his  town  !  ” 

At  that  moment,  the  wind,  being  contrary,  and 
thereby  preventing  the  boats  going  up  the  river  and 
reaching  Orleans,  turned  all  at  once  and  became  favour¬ 
able.  They  stretched  the  sails  ;  and  I  ordered  the  boats 
to  the  town,  which  I  entered  with  Brother  Nicolas  de 
Geresme,  then  Grand  Prior  in  France  of  the  Order  of 
Rhodes.  We  passed  before  the  Church  of  Saint  Loup 
in  spite  of  the  English.  From  that  time  I  put  good 
hope  in  her,  even  more  than  before.  I  had  begged  her 
to  cross  the  river  and  to  enter  the  town,  where  many 
were  longing  for  her.  She  had  made  a  difficulty  about 
it,  not  wishing,  she  said,  to  abandon  her  army  or  her 
followers  who  were  duly  confessed,  penitent,  and  of 
good  will  ;  and  on  their  account  she  refused  to  come. 
Thereupon,  I  went  in  search  of  the  captains  who  had 
charge  of  the  convoy  and  the  army,  and  besought 
them,  for  the  welfare  of  the  King,  to  allow  Jeanne  to 
enter  Orleans  at  once,  and  that  they  should  go  up  the 
river — they  and  the  army — to  Blois,  where  they  should 
cross  the  Loire  so  as  to  return  to  Orleans,  for  there  was 

1  The  Duke  was  then  a  prisoner  in  England. 


DEPOSITIONS  AT  ORLEANS  :  1455 


235 


no  nearer  place  of  crossing.  They  consented  ;  and 
Jeanne  then  came  with  me.  She  had  in  her  hand  a 
banner,  white  in  colour,  on  which  was  an  image  of  Our 
Lord  holding  in  His  Hand  a  lily.  La  Hire  crossed  the 
Loire  at  the  same  time  as  she,  and  entered  the  city 
with  her  and  ourselves.  All  this  was  much  more  the 
work  of  God  than  of  man  :  the  sudden  change  of 
wind  immediately  Jeanne  had  announced  it;  the 
bringing  in  of  the  convoy  of  supplies  in  spite  of  the 
English,  who  were  in  much  greater  force  than  all  the 
King’s  army;  and  the  statement  of  Jeanne  that  she 
had  seen  Saint  Louis  and  Saint  Charles  the  Great 
praying  God  for  the  safety  of  the  King  and  of  the 
City. 

Another  circumstance  made  me  think  these  deeds 
were  the  work  of  God.  I  wished  to  go  towards  the 
army  which  had  turned  back  on  Blois  and  which  was 
marching  to  the  relief  of  Orleans  ;  Jeanne  would  not  wait 
for  them  nor  consent  that  I  should  go  to  meet  them  : 
she  wished  to  summon  the  English  to  raise  the  siege  at 
once  on  pain  of  being  themselves  attacked.  She  did, 
in  fact,  summon  them  by  a  letter  which  she  wrote  to 
them  in  French,  in  which  she  told  them,  in  very  simple 
terms,  that  they  were  to  retire  from  the  siege  and  return 
to  England,  or  else  she  would  bring  against  them  a 
great  attack,  which  would  force  them  to  retreat.  Her 
letter  was  sent  to  Lord  Talbot.  From  that  hour,  the 
English — who,  up  to  that  time,  could,  I  affirm,  with  two 
hundred  of  their  men,  have  put  to  rout  800  or  1,000  of 
ours — were  unable,  with  all  their  power,  to  resist  400  or 
500  French  ;  they  had  to  be  driven  into  their  forts, 
where  they  took  refuge,  and  from  whence  they  dared 
not  come  forth. 

There  is  another  fact  which  made  me  believe  she  was 
from  God.  The  27th  of  May,1  very  early  in  the  morning, 

1  7th  of  May. 


236 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


we  began  the  attack  on  the  Boulevard  1  of  the  bridge. 
Jeanne  was  there  wounded  by  an  arrow  which  penetrated 
half-a-foot  between  the  neck  and  the  shoulder  ;  but  she 
continued  none  the  less  to  fight,  taking  no  remedy  for 
her  wound.  The  attack  lasted  throughout,  from  the 
morning  until  8  o’clock  in  the  evening,  without  hope 
of  success  for  us  :  for  which  reason  I  was  anxious 
that  the  army  should  retire  into  the  town.  The 
Maid  then  came  to  me,  praying  me  to  wait  yet  a 
little  longer.  Thereupon  she  mounted  her  horse,  re¬ 
tired  to  a  vineyard,  all  alone  by  herself,  remained  in 
prayer  about  half  an  hour,  then,  returning  and  seizing 
her  banner  by  both  hands,  she  placed  herself  on  the 
edge  of  the  trench.  At  sight  of  her  the  English 
trembled,  and  were  seized  with  sudden  fear  ;  our  people, 
on  the  contrary,  took  courage  and  began  to  mount 
and  assail  the  Boulevard,  not  meeting  any  resist¬ 
ance.  Thus  was  the  Boulevard  taken  and  the  English 
therein  put  to  flight  :  all  were  killed,  among  them 
Classidas  2  and  the  other  principal  English  captains  of 
the  Bastille,  who,  thinking  to  gain  the  Bridge  Tower,  fell 
into  the  river,  where  they  were  drowned.  This  Classidas 
was  he  who  had  spoken  of  the  Maid  with  the  greatest 
contempt  and  insult. 

The  Bastille  taken,  we  re-entered  the  town  of 
Orleans — the  Maid  and  all  the  army — where  we  were 
received  with  enthusiasm.  Jeanne  was  taken  to  her 
house,  to  receive  the  care  which  her  wound  required. 
When  the  surgeon  had  dressed  it,  she  began  to  eat,  con- 

1  Antiquarians  state  that  the  Café  le  Bœuf  at  Orleans  covers  the  ancient 
“Boulevard”  captured  by  Jeanne  d’Arc.  This  redoubt  adjoined  the 
“  Tourelles  ”  and  was  close  to  the  bridge  of  Orleans.  Many  steps  below 
ground,  and  entered  from  the  Café  le  Bœuf,  is  a  room  of  carefully  constructed 
masonry,  being  the  interior  of  a  tower,  with  embrasures  for  cannon,  and 
iron  rings  to  which  cannons  were  attached. 

2  i.e .,  William  Glasdale,  Bailly  of  Alençon.  He  was  Captain  of  the  Fort 
of  the  Tourelles,  called  here  the  Bridge  Tower. 


DEPOSITIONS  AT  ORLEANS  :  1455  237 

tenting  herself  with  four  or  five  slices  of  bread  dipped  in 
wine  and  water,  without,  on  that  day,  having  eaten  or 
drunk  anything  else. 

The  next  day,  early  in  the  morning,  the  English  came 
out  of  their  camp  and  placed  themselves  in  order  of 
battle.  At  this  sight,  Jeanne  got  up  and  put  on 
a  light  coat  of  mail  ;  she  forbade  the  English  to  be 
attacked  or  in  any  way  molested  but  [gave  orders] 
that  they  should  be  allowed  to  depart,  which  they  did, 
without  any  pursuit.  From  that  moment  the  town  was 
delivered. 

After  the  deliverance  of  Orleans,  the  Maid,  with  my¬ 
self  and  the  other  captains,  went  to  seek  the  King  at  the 
Castle  of  Loches,  praying  him  to  attack  immediately  the 
towns  and  the  camps  on  the  Loire,  Mehun,  Beaugency, 
Jargeau,  in  order  to  make  his  consecration  at  Rheims 
more  free  and  sure.  This  she  besought  the  King 
often,  in  the  most  urgent  manner,  to  hasten,  without 
longer  delay.  The  King  used  the  greatest  haste 
possible,  and  sent,  for  this  purpose,  the  Duke  d’Alençon, 
myself  and  other  captains,  as  well  as  Jeanne,  to  reduce 
these  towns  and  camps.  All  were  reduced  in  a  few  days 
— thanks  alone,  as  I  believe,  to  the  intervention  of  the 
Maid. 

After  the  deliverance  of  Orleans,  the  English  assem¬ 
bled  together  a  numerous  army,  to  defend  the  aforesaid 
towns,  which  they  occupied.  When  we  had  invested 
the  camp  and  bridge  of  Beaugency,  the  English  army 
arrived  at  the  camp  of  Meung-sur- Loire,  which  was 
still  under  their  control.  But  this  army  could  not  come 
to  the  help  of  the  English  besieged  in  the  camp  of 
Beaugency.  At  the  news  of  the  taking  of  this  camp,  all 
the  English  divisions  joined  together  into  one  complete 
army  ;  and  we  thought  they  would  offer  us  battle  :  we 
made  our  dispositions  accordingly.  In  presence  of  the 
Constable,  myself,  and  the  other  captains,  the  Duke 


238 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


d’Alençon  asked  Jeanne  what  was  to  be  done.  She 
answered  thus,  in  a  loud  voice  :  “  Have  all  of  you  good 
spurs  ?  ”  “  What  do  you  mean  ?  ”  asked  those  present 

of  her  ;  “  are  we,  then,  to  turn  our  backs  ?  ”  “  Nay,”  she 

replied,  “it  is  the  English  who  will  not  defend  them¬ 
selves,  and  will  be  beaten  ;  and  you  must  have  good 
spurs  to  pursue  them.”  And  it  fell  out  thus,  as  she  had 
predicted  :  the  English  took  to  flight,  and  of  killed  and 
prisoners  there  were  more  than  4,000. 

At  Loches,  after  the  raising  of  the  siege  of  Orleans,  I 
remember  that,  one  day,  the  King,  being  in  his  private 
room  with  the  Sieur  Christopher  d’ Harcourt,  the  Bishop 
of  Castres,1  his  Confessor,  and  the  Sieur  de  Trêves,  who 
was  formerly  Chancellor  of  France,2  Jeanne  and  I  went 
to  seek  him.  Before  entering,  she  knocked  at  the  door  ; 
as  soon  as  she  had  entered,  she  knelt  before  the  King, 
and,  embracing  his  knees,  said  these  words  :  “  Noble 
Dauphin  !  hold  no  longer  these  many  and  long  councils, 
but  come  quickly  to  Rheims  to  take  the  crown  for 
which  you  are  worthy  !”  “  Is  it  your  Counsel  who  told 

you  this?”  said  Christopher  d’Harcourt.  “Yes,”  she 
answered,  “and  my  Counsel  urges  me  to  this  most  of 
all.”  “Will  you  not  say,  here,  in  presence  of  the  King,” 
added  the  Bishop,  “  what  manner  of  Counsel  it  is  which 
thus  speaks  to  you?”  “I  think  I  understand,”  she 
said,  colouring,  “  what  you  want  to  know  ;  and  I  will 
tell  you  willingly.”  Then  said  the  King  :  “  Jeanne,  will 
it  please  you  to  say,  in  presence  of  the  persons  who 
are  listening  to  us,  what  has  been  asked  you  ?”  “Yes, 
Sire,”  she  answered.  And  then  she  said  this,  or  some¬ 
thing  approaching  it  :  “  When  I  am  vexed  that  faith 

1  Gerard  Machet,  according  to  the  Chronique  de  la  Pucelle  ;  he  was  not 
Bishop  until  after  the  death  of  Jeanne. 

2  Robert  le  Maçon,  Chancellor,  in  1418,  was  harassed  by  the  opposition  of 
the  Burgundian  faction  and  the  favourites  of  the  Dauphin.  He  retired  in 
1421,  and  acted  henceforward  as  a  simple  Councillor. 


DEPOSITIONS  AT  ORLEANS:  1455  239 

is  not  readily  placed  in  what  I  wish  to  say  in  God’s 
Name,  I  retire  alone,  and  pray  to  God.  I  complain  to 
Him  that  those  whom  I  address  do  not  believe  me  more 
readily;  and,  my  prayer  ended,  I  hear  a  Voice  which 
says  to  me  :  ‘  Daughter  of  God  !  go  on  !  go  on  !  go  on  ! 
I  will  be  thy  Help:  go  on!’  And  when  I  hear  this 
Voice,  I  have  great  joy.  I  would  I  could  always  hear 
it  thus.”  And,  in  repeating  to  us  this  language  of  her 
Voice,  she  was — strange  to  say  ! — in  a  marvellous  rapture, 
raising  her  eyes  to  Heaven. 

After  the  victories  of  which  I  have  just  spoken,  the 
nobles  of  the  Blood  Royal  and  the  captains  wished  the 
King  to  go  into  Normandy,  and  not  to  Rheims.  But  the 
Maid  was  always  of  opinion  that  it  was  necessary  to  go  to 
Rheims,  that  the  King  should  be  consecrated,  giving  as 
a  reason  that,  if  once  the  King  were  consecrated  and 
crowned,  the  power  of  his  adversaries  would  decline,  and 
that  in  the  end  they  would  be  past  the  power  of  doing 
any  injury,  either  to  him  or  to  his  kingdom.  And  all 
consented  to  her  opinion.  The  place  where  the  King 
first  halted,  with  his  army,  was  under  the  town  of 
Troyes  ;  he  there  took  counsel  with  the  nobles  of  the 
Blood,  and  the  other  captains,  to  decide  whether  they 
should  remain  before  this  town,  in  order  to  lay  siege  to  it, 
or  whether  it  would  not  better  avail  to  pass  on  and  march 
straight  to  Rheims,  leaving  Troyes  alone.  The  Council 
were  divided  in  opinion,  and  no  one  knew  which  course 
to  pursue,  when  Jeanne  suddenly  arrived,  and  appeared 
in  the  Council.  “Noble  Dauphin,”  she  said,  “order 
your  people  to  come  and  besiege  the  town  of  Troyes, 
and  lose  no  more  time  in  such  long  councils.  In  God’s 
Name,  before  three  days  are  gone,  I  will  bring  you  into 
this  town  by  favour  or  force,  and  greatly  will  the 
false  Burgundy  be  astounded.”  Then  Jeanne,  putting 
herself  at  the  head  of  the  army,  had  the  tents  placed 
right  against  the  trenches  of  the  town,  and  executed 


240 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


many  marvellous  manœuvres  which  had  not  been 
thought  of  by  two  or  three  accomplished  generals 
working  together.  And  so  well  did  she  work  during  the 
night,  that,  the  next  day,  the  Bishop 1  and  citizens 
came  all  trembling  and  quaking  to  place  their  submission 
in  the  King’s  hands.  Afterwards,  it  was  known  that, 
at  the  moment  when  she  had  told  the  King’s  Council 
not  to  pass  by  the  town,  the  inhabitants  had  suddenly 
lost  heart,  and  had  occupied  themselves  only  in  seeking 
refuge  in  the  Churches.  The  town  of  Troyes  once 
reduced,  the  King  went  to  Rheims,  where  he  found 
complete  submission,  and  where  he  was  consecrated  and 
crowned. 

Jeanne  was  accustomed  to  repair  daily  to  Church  at 
the  time  of  Vespers,  or  towards  evening  ;  she  had  the 
bells  rung  for  half-an-hour,  and  collected  together  all 
the  Mendicant  Friars  who  were  following  the  army. 
Then  she  began  to  pray,  and  had  an  anthem  in  honour 
of  the  Blessed  Mary,  Mother  of  God,  sung  by  the 
Mendicant  Friars. 

When  the  King  came  to  La  Ferté  and  to  Crespy- 
en-Valois,  the  people  ran  about  him,  crying  “Noel!” 
The  Maid  was  then  riding  between  the  Archbishop  of 
Rheims  and  myself  :  “  This  is  a  good  people,”  she  said 
to  us  ;  “I  have  seen  none  elsewhere  who  rejoiced 
as  much  at  the  coming  of  so  noble  a  King.  How 
happy  should  I  be  if,  when  my  days  are  done,  I  might 
be  buried  here  !  ”  “Jeanne,”  then  said  the  Archbishop 
to  her,  “in  what  place  do  you  hope  to  die  ?  ”  “Where 
it  shall  please  God,”  she  answered  ;  “  for  I  am  not 

certain  of  either  the  time  or  the  place,  any  more  than 
you  are  yourself.  Would  it  might  please  God,  my 
Creator,  that  I  might  retire  now,  abandon  arms  and 
return  to  serve  my  father  and  mother  and  to  take  care  of 

1  Jean  Leguise,  ennobled  by  Charles  VII.  for  his  share  in  the  surrender 
of  the  town. 


RHEIMS  CATHEDRAL 


DEPOSITIONS  AT  ORLEANS:  1455  241 

their  sheep  with  my  sister  and  my  brothers,  who  would 
be  so  happy  to  see  me  again  !  ” 

There  was  never  any  one  more  sober.  I  often  heard 
it  said  by  the  Sieur  Jean  d’Aulon,  Knight,  now  Sene¬ 
schal  of  Beaucaire,  who  had  been  appointed  by  the  King 
to  watch  over  her,  as  being  the  wisest  and  most  worthy 
in  the  army,  that  he  did  not  think  there  had  ever  been  a 
more  chaste  woman.  Neither  I  nor  others,  when  we 
were  with  her,  had  ever  an  evil  thought  :  there  was  in 
her  something  divine. 

Fifteen  days  after  the  Earl  of  Suffolk1  had  been 
made  prisoner  at  the  taking  of  Jargeau,  a  writing  was 
sent  to  him  containing  four  lines,  in  which  it  was  said 
that  a  Maid  should  come  from  the  Oak-wood  who  would 
ride  on  the  backs  of  the  archers  and  against  them.2 

Although  Jeanne  sometimes  spoke  in  jest  of  the 
affairs  of  war,  and  although,  to  encourage  the  soldiers, 
she  may  have  foretold  events  which  were  not  realized, 
nevertheless,  when  she  spoke  seriously  of  the  war, 
and  of  her  deeds  and  her  mission,  she  only  affirmed 
earnestly  that  she  was  sent  to  raise  the  siege  of  Orleans, 
and  to  succour  the  oppressed  people  of  that  town  and 
the  neighbouring  places,  and  to  conduct  the  King  to 
Rheims  that  he  might  be  consecrated. 

SlEUR  DE  GaUCOURT.3 

I  was  at  the  Castle  of  the  town  of  Chinon  when 
Jeanne  arrived  there,  and  I  saw  her  when  she  presented 

1  William  de  la  Pole,  Earl  of  Suffolk,  Grand  Steward  of  the  King  of 
England. 

2  The  prophecy  of  Merlin,  as  it  appears  in  MS.  7301  of  the  Bibliothèque 
Nationale,  runs:  '■'•Descendit  virgo  dorsum  sagittari  et  flores  virgineos 
obscultabit .” 

3  Raoul,  not  Jean,  de  Gaucourt,  Grand  Steward,  born  1370.  Fought,  in 
1394,  under  the  banner  of  Jean  de  Nevers,  afterwards  Duke  of  Burgundy, 
for  Sigismund,  King  of  Hungary,  against  Bajazet  ;  and  was  knighted  on  the 
field  of  Nicopolis,  from  which  only  himself,  his  leader,  and  twenty-two 

R 


242 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


herself  before  the  King’s  Majesty  with  great  lowliness 
and  simplicity  ;  a  poor  little  shepherdess  !  I  heard  her 
say  these  words  :  “  Most  noble  Lord  Dauphin,  I  am 
come  and  am  sent  to  you  from  God  to  give  succour  to 
the  kingdom  and  to  you.” 

After  having  seen  and  heard  her,  the  King,  so  as  to  be 
better  instructed  about  her,  put  her  under  the  protection 
of  Guillaume  Bellier,  his  Major-Domo,  my  Lieutenant 
at  Chinon,  afterwards  Bailly  of  Troyes,1  whose  wife  was 
most  devout  and  of  the  best  reputation.  Then  he  had 
her  visited  by  the  Clergy,  by  Doctors,  and  by  Prelates, 
to  know  if  he  could  lawfully  put  faith  in  her.  Her 
deeds  and  words  were  examined  during  three  weeks, 
not  only  at  Chinon,  but  at  Poitiers.  The  Examinations 
finished,  the  Clergy  decided  that  there  was  nothing  evil 
in  her  deeds  nor  in  her  words.  After  numerous  interro¬ 
gations,  they  ended  by  asking  her  what  sign  she  could 
furnish,  that  her  words  might  be  believed  ?  “  The  sign 

I  have  to  shew,”  she  replied,  “  is  to  raise  the  siege  of 
Orleans  !  ”  Afterwards,  she  took  leave  of  the  King, 
and  came  to  Blois,  where  she  armed  herself  for  the  first 
time,  to  conduct  a  convoy  of  supplies  to  Orleans  and  to 
succour  the  inhabitants. 

[On  the  subject  of  the  sudden  change  of  wind  and  of 
the  way  in  which  the  convoy  of  supplies  was  brought 
into  Orleans,  the  witness  deposed  as  the  Sieur  de 
Dunois.  He  added  only  this  :  Jeanne  had  expressly 
predicted  that,  before  long,  the  weather  and  the  wind 

other  French  nobles  escaped.  He  defended  Harfleur  against  Henry  V.,  in 
1415,  and  was  a  prisoner  for  ten  years,  being  one  of  those  specially  named 
by  Henry  in  his  dying  commands  to  Bedford  as  prisoners  “to  be  kept.”  In 
1425,  he  was  ransomed  for  the  sum  of  20,000  gold  crowns  ;  in  1427,  he 
aided  Dunois  at  the  victory  of  Montargis,  and  afterwards  in  the  defence  of 
Orleans. 

1  Quicherat  thinks  there  is  an  error  of  copy  here  ;  that  Bellier  could  not 
have  been  Bailly  of  Troyes  when  that  town  was  in  the  hands  of  the  English, 
nor  could  he  at  any  time  have  combined  so  high  an  office  with  the  lieutenancy 
of  Chinon. 


DEPOSITIONS  AT  ORLEANS:  1455 


243 


would  change  ;  and  it  happened  as  she  had  foretold. 
She  had,  in  like  manner,  stated  that  the  convoy  would 
enter  freely  into  the  town. 

The  declaration  of  the  witness  agrees  equally  with 
that  of  the  Sieur  de  Dunois  as  to  the  taking  of  the 
Bastille,  the  raising  of  the  siege,  and  the  expulsion  of 
the  English. 

On  all  the  other  points  the  Sieur  de  Gaucourt  is  also 
in  perfect  agreement,  in  matter  and  form,  with  the  said 
Sieur  de  Dunois,  as  to  all  that  concerns  the  setting  free 
of  Orleans,  the  taking  of  the  camps  and  the  towns  on 
the  borders  of  the  Loire. 

He  agrees  equally  on  all  points  with  what  concerns 
the  journey  of  the  King  for  the  ceremony  of  his  con¬ 
secration  at  Rheims. 

Jeanne,  he  adds,  was  abstemious  in  food  and  drink  ; 
nothing  came  from  her  lips  but  excellent  words,  which 
could  serve  only  for  edification  and  good  example.  No 
one  could  be  more  chaste,  .  .  .  she  had  always  at  night 
a  woman  in  her  room.  She  confessed  herself  frequently, 
being  often  in  prayer,  hearing  Mass  every  day,  and 
constantly  receiving  the  Sacrament  of  the  Eucharist  ; 
she  would  not  suffer  any  to  use  in  her  presence  shameful 
or  blasphemous  words,  and  by  her  speech  and  actions 
she  shewed  how  much  she  held  such  things  in  horror.] 

Maître  François  Garivel,  Councillor-General  to  the 
King. 

I  remember  that,  at  the  time  of  the  coming  of 
Jeanne  the  Maid,  the  King  sent  her  to  Poitiers,  where 
she  lodged  with  Maître  Jean  Rabateau,  then  King’s 
Advocate  in  Parliament.  In  this  town  of  Poitiers  were 
deputed  [to  examine  Jeanne],  by  the  King’s  Order,  certain 
venerable  Doctors  and  Masters, — to  wit,  Pierre  de  Ver¬ 
sailles,  then  Abbot  of  Talmont,  afterwards  Bishop  of 

r  2 


244 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


Meaux  ;  Jean  Lambert  ;  Guillaume  Aimery,  of  the  Order 
of  Saint  Dominic  ;  Pierre  Séguin,  of  the  Carmelite  Order, 
Doctors  in  Theology  ;  Mathieu  Message,  and  Guillaume 
Le  Marie,  Bachelors  in  Theology,  with  many  others  of  the 
King’s  Councillors,  licentiates  in  Canon  and  Civil  Laws. 
Many  times  and  often,  during  the  space  of  three  weeks, 
they  examined  Jeanne,  studying  and  considering  her 
deeds  and  words  ;  and  finally,  taking  into  consideration 
her  condition  and  her  answers,  they  said  that  she  was 
a  simple  girl,  who,  when  interrogated,  persisted  in  her 
answer,  that  she  was  sent  from  the  God  of  Heaven  in 
favour  of  the  noble  Dauphin,  to  replace  him  in  his 
kingdom,  to  raise  the  siege  of  Orleans,  and  to  conduct 
the  King  to  Rheims  for  his  consecration  ;  and  that  first 
she  must  write  to  the  English  and  command  them  to 
retire,  for  such  was  the  Will  of  God. 

When  I  asked  Jeanne  why  she  called  the  King 
Dauphin,  and  not  King,  she  replied  that  she  should 
not  call  him  King  till  he  had  been  crowned  and 
anointed  at  Rheims,  to  which  city  she  meant  to  conduct 
him. 

Afterwards,  the  Clergy  told  Jeanne  she  ought  to  shew 
them  a  sign  by  which  it  might  be  believed  that  she 
was  sent  from  God  ;  but  she  replied  :  “  The  sign  given 
to  me  from  God  is  to  raise  the  siege  of  Orleans  ;  I  have 
no  fear  that  it  will  be  done,  if  the  King  will  give  me 
soldiers,  as  few  as  he  may  like.” 

She  was  a  simple  shepherd-maiden,  who  confessed 
often  ;  she  was  entirely  devoted  to  God,  and  frequently 
received  the  Sacrament  of  the  Eucharist. 

At  last,  after  long  examinations  made  at  great  length  by 
clerics  of  various  faculties,  all  decided  and  concluded  that 
the  King  might  lawfully  receive  her,  and  might  send  a 
body  of  soldiers  to  the  siege  of  Orleans,  for  that  there 
was  nothing  found  in  her  which  was  not  Catholic  and 
reasonable. 


DEPOSITIONS  AT  ORLEANS:  1455  245 

Guillaume  de  Ricarville,1  Seigneur  de  Ricarville , 
Steward  to  the  King. 

I  was  in  Orleans — then  besieged  by  the  English — with 
the  Count  de  Dunois  and  many  other  captains,  when 
news  came  that  there  had  passed  through  the  town  of 
Gien  a  shepherdess,  called  the  Maid,  conducted  by  two 
or  three  gentlemen  of  Lorraine,  from  which  country  she 
came  ;  that  this  Maid  said  she  was  come  to  raise  the 
siege  of  Orleans,  and  that  afterwards  she  would  lead 
the  King  to  his  anointing  ;  for  thus  had  she  been  com¬ 
manded  by  God. 

Notwithstanding  this,  she  was  not  readily  received  by 
the  King,  who  desired  that  she  should  first  be  examined, 
and  that  he  should  know  something  of  her  life  and  estate, 
and  if  it  were  lawful  for  him  to  receive  her.  Therefore, 
the  Maid,  by  the  King’s  order,  was  examined  by  many 
Prelates,  Doctors,  and  Clergy,  who  found  evidence  in  her 
of  good  life,  honest  estate,  and  praiseworthy  repute  ;  nor 
was  there  aught  in  her  which  should  cause  her  to  be 
repelled. 

She  lived  honourably,  most  soberly  as  to  food  and 
drink,  was  chaste  and  devout,  hearing  Mass  daily,  and 
confessing  often,  communicating  with  fervent  devotion 
every  week.  She  reproved  the  soldiers  when  they  blas¬ 
phemed  or  took  God’s  Name  in  vain;  also  when  they 
did  any  evil  or  violence.  I  never  observed  in  her 
aught  deserving  reproof,  and  from  her  manner  of  life 
and  actions  I  believe  she  was  inspired  by  God. 

Maître  Reginald  Thierry,  Dean  of  the  Church  of 
Meung-sur-  Yèvre  ;  Surgeon  to  the  King. 

I  saw  Jeanne  with  the  King  at  Chinon,  and  heard 

1  Master  of  the  Horse,  Counsellor  and  Steward  to  the  Court.  He  was 
made  prisoner  in  1437,  but  ransomed  from  the  English  for  500  crowns. 
In  1459,  he  was  sent  by  Charles  VII.  to  Bordeaux,  in  order  to  settle  a 
dispute  between  the  municipal  authority  and  some  English  ships.  He  was 
living  in  1472,  and  in  receipt  of  a  pension  from  Louis  XI. 


246 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


what  she  said  ;  to  wit,  that  she  was  sent  from  God  to 
the  noble  Dauphin,  to  raise  the  Siege  of  Orleans,  and  to 
conduct  the  King  to  his  anointing  and  coronation. 

When  the  town  of  Saint-Pierre-le-Moustier  was 
taken,1  by  assault,  Jeanne  being  there,  the  soldiers 
wanted  to  pillage  the  Church  and  to  seize  the  sacred 
vessels  and  other  treasure  there  hidden  ;  but  Jeanne 
prohibited  and  forbade  them  with  great  energy,  so  that 
nothing  was  taken  away. 

Jean  Luillier,  Bïtrgher  of  Orleans. 

Many  of  the  inhabitants  of  Orleans  desired  the  coming 
of  the  Maid,  for  they  had  heard  the  current  rumour  that 
she  had  told  the  King  how  she  was  sent  from  God 
to  raise  the  siege  then  held  against  the  town  ;  the 
inhabitants  were  then  in  such  straits,  on  account  of 
the  English,  that  they  knew  not  where  to  turn,  except 
to  God. 

I  was  in  the  town  when  Jeanne  reached  it.  She  was 
received  with  as  much  rejoicing  and  acclamation  from 
old  and  young,  of  both  sexes,  as  if  she  had  been  an 
Angel  of  God  ;  because  we  hoped  through  her  to  be 
delivered  from  our  enemies,  which  indeed  was  done 
later. 

When  Jeanne  was  come  into  the  City,  she  exhorted 
us  all  to  hope  in  God  ;  saying  that,  if  we  had  good  hope 
and  trust  in  God,  we  should  escape  from  our  enemies. 
She  said,  moreover,  she  would  summon  the  English  to 
leave  the  town,  and  drive  them  away  before  she  per¬ 
mitted  any  attack  to  be  made  ;  and  this  she  did,  sum¬ 
moning  the  English  by  letter,  in  which  she  told  them  to 
retire  from  the  siege  and  return  to  England,  or  else  she 
would  make  them  retreat  by  force.  From  that  time  the 
English  were  terrified,  nor  had  they  power  to  resist  as 

1  In  December,  1429. 


DEPOSITIONS  AT  ORLEANS:  1455  247 


before  ;  so  that  a  few  of  our  people  might  often  fight 
with  a  great  number  of  the  English,  and  in  such  manner 
that  they  no  longer  dared  to  come  out  of  their  forts. 

On  the  27th  May,1  1429,  I  remember  well  that  an 
assault  was  made  on  the  enemy  in  the  Fort  of  the  Bridge, 
in  which  Jeanne  was  wounded  by  an  arrow  ;  the  attack 
lasted  from  morning  till  evening,  and  in  such  manner 
that  our  men  wished  to  retreat  into  the  town.  Then 
Jeanne  appeared,  her  standard  in  her  hand,  and  placed 
it  on  the  edge  of  the  trench  ;  and  immediately  the 
English  began  to  quake,  and  were  seized  with  fear.  The 
army  of  the  King  took  courage,  and  once  more  began 
to  assail  the  Boulevard  ;  and  thus  was  the  Boulevard 
taken,  and  the  English  therein  were  all  put  to  flight  or 
slain.  Classidas  and  the  principal  English  captains, 
thinking  to  retreat  into  the  Tower  of  the  Bridge,  fell 
into  the  river,  and  were  drowned  ;  and  the  fort  being 
taken,  all  the  King’s  army  retired  into  the  city. 

On  the  next  day,  very  early  in  the  morning,  the 
English  came  out  of  their  tents  and  ranged  themselves 
in  order  of  battle,  as  it  seemed.  Hearing  this,  the  Maid 
rose  from  her  bed  and  armed  herself  ;  but  she  would 
not  allow  any  one  to  attack  the  English,  nor  to  ask  any¬ 
thing  of  them,  but  that  they  should  be  permitted  to 
depart  :  and  so,  indeed,  they  did,  no  one  pursuing  them  ; 
and  from  that  hour  the  town  was  free  from  the  enemy. 

I  believed,  like  all  in  the  town,  that,  had  the  Maid  not 
come  in  God’s  Name  to  our  help,  we  should  soon  have 
been,  both  town  and  people,  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy  : 
we  did  not  believe  it  possible  for  the  army  then  in  the 
town  to  resist  the  power  of  the  enemy  who  were  in  such 
force  against  us. 

Jean  Hilaire  and  Gilles  de  Saint  Mesnin,  [Evi¬ 
dence  of  no  importance ]. 


1  7th  May. 


248 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


Jacques  L’Esbahy. 

I  remember  that  two  heralds  were  sent  on  the  part 
of  the  Maid  to  Saint-Laurent,  one  named  Ambeville, 
and  the  other  Guienne,  to  Talbot,  the  Earl  of  Suffolk, 
and  Lord  Scales,  telling  the  English  in  God’s  name 
to  return  to  England,  or  evil  would  come  to  them. 
The  English  detained  one  of  these  heralds,  named 
Guienne,  and  sent  back  the  other — Ambeville — to  the 
Maid,  who  told  her  that  the  English  were  keeping  back 
his  companion  Guienne  to  burn  him.  Then  Jeanne 
answered  Ambeville  and  assured  him  in  God’s  Name 
that  no  harm  should  happen  to  Guienne,  and  told  him 
to  return  boldly  to  the  English,  that  no  evil  should 
happen  to  him,  but  that  he  should  bring  back  his  com¬ 
rade  safe  and  sound.  And  so  it  was. 

When  Jeanne  first  entered  Orleans,  she  went,  before 
all  else,  to  the  Great  Church,  to  do  reverence  to  God, 
her  Creator. 

Guillaume  le  Charron,  Burgher  of  Orlea?is  \testified 
to  the  same  effect\. 

Cosma  de  Commy,  Burgher  of  Orleans. 

I  heard  Maître  Jean  Maçon,  a  famous  Doctor  in  Civil 
and  Canon  Law,  say  that  he  had  many  times  examined 
Jeanne  as  to  her  deeds  and  words,  and  he  had  no  doubt 
she  was  sent  from  God  ;  that  it  was  a  wondrous  thing 
to  hear  her  speak  and  answer  ;  and  that  he  had  found 
nothing  in  her  life  but  what  was  holy  and  good. 

Martin  de  Mauboudet,  Jean  Volant,  Guillaume 
Postiau,  Denis  Roger,  Jacques  de  Thou,1  Jean 
Carrelier,  Amian  de  Saint-Mesmin,2  all  burghers  of 
Orleans ,  gave  witness  to  the  same  effect. 

1  Seigneur  de  Bignon,  whose  father  was  distinguished  at  the  siege  of 
Orleans.  He  was  great-grandfather  of  Christopher  de  Thou,  first  President 
of  the  Parliament  of  Paris. 

2  Head  of  one  of  the  principal  families  of  Orleans.  Amian  de  Saint- 


DEPOSITIONS  AT  ORLEANS:  1455  249 

Jean  de  Champeaux. 

On  a  certain  Sunday  I  saw  those  of  Orleans  preparing 
for  a  great  conflict  against  the  English,  who  were  drawn 
up  in  order  of  battle.  Seeing  this,  Jeanne  went  out  to 
the  soldiers  ;  and  then  she  was  asked,  if  it  were  well  to 
fight  against  the  English  on  that  day,  being  Sunday  ;  to 
which  she  answered  that  she  must  hear  Mass  ;  and  then 
she  sent  to  fetch  a  table,  and  had  the  ornaments  of  the 
Church  brought,  and  two  Masses  were  celebrated,  which 
she  and  the  whole  army  heard  with  great  devotion. 
Mass  being  ended,  Jeanne  asked  if  the  English  had 
their  faces  turned  toward  us  ;  she  was  told  no,  that  their 
faces  were  turned  towards  Meung.  Hearing  this,  she 
said  :  “In  God’s  Name,  they  are  going  ;  let  them 
depart  ;  and  let  us  give  thanks  to  God  and  pursue  them 
no  further,  because  it  is  Sunday.” 

This  story  is  confirmed  by  Pierre  Jongault,  Pierre 
Hue,  Jean  Aubert,  Guillaume  Rouillart,  Gen¬ 
tian  Cabu,  Pierre  Vaillant,  and  Jean  Coulon,  all 
burghers  of  Orleans. 

All  agreed  that  they  never  perceived  anything  by 
which  they  could  conjecture  that  Jeanne  attributed  to 
herself  the  glory  of  her  wonderful  deeds  ;  but  she  ascribed 
all  to  God,  and,  so  far  as  she  could,  resisted  when  the 
people  sought  to  honour  her  or  give  her  the  glory  ;  she 
preferred  to  be  alone  rather  than  in  others’  society,  except 
when  she  was  engaged  in  warfare. 

Jean  Beauharnays.1 

I  often  saw  Jeanne  while  in  Orleans  ;  there  was  nothing 

Mesmin  was  ennobled  in  1460,  on  account  of  his  services.  He  died  at  the 
ripe  age  of  1 1 8  years. 

1  Brother-in-law  to  Louis  de  Contes,  Jeanne’s  page,  and  owner  of  the 
lordships  of  la  Chaussée  and  Miramion.  From  his  younger  brother,  Guil¬ 
laume,  descended  the  Beauharnais  who  was  husband  to  Josephine  and 
father  of  Eugène. 


250 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


in  her  which  could  merit  reproof  ;  she  was  humble,  simple, 
chaste,  and  devoted  to  God  and  the  Church.  I  was 
always  much  comforted  in  talking  with  her. 

Maître  Robert  de  Farciaux,  Priest ,  Licentiate  in 
Law,  Canon  and  Sub- Dean  of  the  Church  of  Saint- 
A  ignan  at  Orleans  ;  testified  to  the  same  effect. 

Maître  Pierre  Compaing,  Priest,  Licentiate  in  Law, 
Canon  of  Saint- A  ignan. 

I  have  seen  Jeanne,  at  the  Elevation  of  the  Host, 
weeping  many  tears.  I  remember  well  that  she  induced 
the  soldiers  to  confess  their  sins  ;  and  I  indeed  saw  that, 
by  her  instigation  and  advice,  La  Hire  and  many  of  his 
company  came  to  confession. 

The  Sieurs  Pierre  de  La  Censure,  Priest,  Canon 
and  Warden  of  Saint-Aignan  ;  Raoul  Godart,  Priest , 
Licentiate  in  Decrees,  Prior  of  Saint  Samson,  and  Canon 
of  Saint-Aignan  at  Orleans  ;  Hervé  Bonart,  Prior  of 
Saint- Magloire,  of  the  Order  of  S aint- Augustine  ;  The 
Sieur  André  Bordes,  Canon  of  Saint-Aignan  ;  and 
Jeanne,  wife  0/ Gilles  de  Saint-Mesmin.  All  agreed 
with  the  preceding  as  to  Jeanne's  life  and  morals. 

Jeanne,  wife  of  Guy  Boyleaud  ;  Guillemette,  wife 
of  Jean  de  Coulons  ;  Jeanne,  widow  of  Jean  de 
Mouchy,  gave  similar  testimony. 

Charlotte,1  wife  of  Guillaume  Havet. 

At  night  I  slept  alone  with  Jeanne  ;  I  never  saw  any¬ 
thing  evil  in  her,  either  in  word  or  deed,  but  always 
simplicity,  humility  and  chastity.  She  was  in  the  habit 
of  confessing  frequently  and  hearing  Mass  daily.  She 
often  told  my  mother,  in  whose  house  she  lodged,  that 

1  Daughter  of  Jacques  Bourchier,  Treasurer  of  Orleans,  at  whose  house 
Jeanne  lodged. 


DEPOSITIONS  AT  ORLEANS:  1455  251 

she  must  put  trust  in  God,  and  that  God  would  help  the 
town  of  Orleans,  and  drive  away  the  enemy. 

She  was  accustomed,  before  going  to  an  assault,  to 
take  account  of  her  conscience,  and  to  receive  the 
Sacrament  after  hearing  Mass. 

Reginalde,  widow  of  Jean  Huré. 

I  remember  well  to  have  seen  and  heard,  one  day,  a 
great  lord,  walking  along  the  street,  begin  to  swear  and 
blaspheme  God  ;  which,  when  Jeanne  saw  and  heard, 
she  was  much  perturbed,  and  went  up  to  the  lord  who 
was  swearing,  and,  taking  him  by  the  neck,  said,  “  Ah  ! 
master,  do  you  deny  Our  Lord  and  Master?  In  God’s 
Name,  you  shall  unsay  your  words  before  I  leave  you.” 
And  then,  as  I  saw,  the  said  lord  repented  and  amended 
his  ways,  at  the  exhortation  of  the  said  Maid. 

Petronille,  wife  of  )  ean  Beauharnais  ;  and  Masse  a.,. 
wife  of  Henri  Fagone  ;  testified  to  the  same  effect. 


DEPOSITIONS  IN  PARIS:  1455-6. 


[No  questions  for  the  Examinations  at  Paris  and 
Rouen  appear  in  the  Rehabilitation  Reports,  but,  as  M. 
Jules  Fabre  was  the  first  to  point  out,  the  numbers 
appended  to  the  answers  correspond  with  the  first  thirty- 
three  of  the  hundred  and  one  Articles  of  the  Act  of 
Accusation.] 


Examination  of  Witnesses. 

Maître  Jean  Tiphaine,  Priest ,  Master  in  Arts  and 
Medicine ,  Canon  of  the  Sainte  Chapelle ,  Paris. 

On  the  first  four  Articles,  I  declare  that  I  knew 
nothing  of  Jeanne  until  she  was  brought  to  the  town 
of  Rouen  for  her  trial.  I  was  summoned  to  take  part.  At 
first  I  would  not  go  ;  but  I  was  commanded  a  second 
time,  and  was  present  and  heard  the  enquiry  and  her 
answers  :  she  made  many  beautiful  answers.  When  I 
was  present  at  this  Trial,  the  Judges  and  the  Assessors 
were  in  the  small  hall  behind  the  Great  Hall  of  the 
Castle  ;  and  she  answered  with  much  prudence  and 
wisdom  and  with  great  bravery. 

On  the  occasion  when  I  was  present,  Maître  Beaupère 
was  the  principal  questioner  ;  and  Jacques  de  Touraine, 
of  the  Order  of  Friars  Minor,  also  questioned  her.  I 
well  remember  that  this  Maître  Jacques  once  asked  her, 
if  she  was  ever  in  a  place  in  which  the  English  were 
overcome  ;  to  which  she  answered  :  “  In  God’s  name, 
surely.  How  mildly  you  put  it  !  Why,  have  many  not 


DEPOSITIONS  IN  PARIS:  1455-6 


253 


fled  from  France  and  gone  back  to  their  own  country  ?  ”a 
And  there  was  a  great  lord  of  England,  whose  name  I 
do  not  remember,  who  said,  hearing  this  :  “Truly  this 
is  a  brave  woman  !  Would  she  were  English  !  ”  And 
this  he  said  to  me  and  to  Maître  Guillaume  Desjardins. 
No  Doctor,  however  great  and  subtle  he  might  be,  had 
he  been  questioned  by  so  many  Doctors  and  before  so 
great  an  assembly  as  was  this  Jeanne,  but  would  have 
been  perplexed  and  upset.  With  regard  to  the  illness  of 
Jeanne  during  the  Trial,  I  was  summoned  by  the  Lords 
Judges  to  visit  her,  and  was  brought  to  her  by  one 
named  d’Estivet  ;  in  presence  of  this  d’Estivet,  Maître 
Delachambre,  and  several  others,  I  felt  her  pulse  in 
order  to  know  the  cause  of  the  malady,  and  asked  what 
ailed  her  and  from  what  she  suffered.  She  replied  that 
some  carp  had  been  sent  her  by  the  Bishop  of  Beauvais, 
and  that  she  doubted  this  was  the  cause  of  her  illness. 
Upon  this,  d’Estivet,  who  was  present,  found  fault  with 
her,  saying  she  had  spoken  ill,  and  called  her  “  paillarde,” 
saying:  “  Thou  paillarde  !  thou  hast  been  eating  sprats 
and  other  unwholesomeness.”  She  answered  that  she 
had  not  ;  and  then  they — Jeanne  and  d’Estivet — ex¬ 
changed  many  abusive  words.  Afterwards,  I  wished  to 
know  further  as  to  the  malady  of  Jeanne,  and  learnt  that 
she  had  had  severe  vomiting.  Except  as  to  her  malady, 
I  gave  no  opinion.2 

Maître  Guillaume  Delachambre,  Master  in  Arts 
and  Medicine. 

I  gave  no  opinion  during  the  Trial,  but  allowed 
myself  to  affix  my  signature,  under  compulsion  from  the 
Bishop  of  Beauvais.  I  made  excuses  to  him  that  in 
these  matters  it  did  not  belong  to  my  profession  to  give 

1  See  decrees  of  Henry  VI.  against  fugitives,  “  terrificatos  incautionibus 
puellae." 

2  Nevertheless,  his  name  appears  as  having  agreed  with  the  Abbot  of 
Fécamp  in  his  opinion  of  the  Condemnation. 


254 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


an  opinion  :  however,  finally,  the  Bishop  forced  me  to 
subscribe  as  others  had  done,  saying  that  otherwise  some 
ill  would  befall  me  for  having  come  to  Rouen.  I  say, 
too,  that  threats  were  also  used  against  Maître  Jean 
Lohier  and  Maître  Nicolas  de  Houppeville,  who,  not 
wishing  to  take  part  in  the  Trial,  were  threatened  with 
the  penalty  of  drowning. 

Sometimes  it  was  the  Abbot  of  Fécamp  who  inter¬ 
rogated  Jeanne.  Once,  I  saw  the  Abbot  of  Fécamp 
interrogating  Jeanne,  and  Maître  Jean  Beaupère  inter¬ 
rupted  with  many  and  divers  questions.  Jeanne  would 
not  reply  to  them  both  at  once,  saying  that  they  did  her 
much  harm  by  thus  vexing  her,  and  that  she  would  reply 
presently.  As  to  her  illness,  one  day  the  Cardinal  of 
England  and  the  Earl  of  Warwick  having  sent  for  me,  I 
found  myself  associated  with  Guillaume  Desjardins  and 
other  doctors.  The  Earl  of  Warwick  told  us  that  Jeanne 
had  been  ill  and  that  we  had  been  sent  for  to  give  her  all 
our  attention,  for  the  King  would  not,  for  anything, 
that  she  should  die  a  natural  death  :  he  had  bought 
her  too  dear  for  that,  and  he  intended  that  she  should 
die  at  the  hands  of  justice,  and  should  be  burnt.  For 
this,  I  and  Guillaume  Desjardins  and  others  visited 
her.  Desjardins  and  I  felt  her  pulse  on  the  right  side, 
and  found  fever,  from  which  we  recommended  she  should 
be  bled.  “Away  with  your  bleeding!”  said  Warwick, 
“she  is  artful,  and  might  kill  herself.”  Nevertheless,  we 
did  bleed  her,  and  she  recovered.  One  day,  after  she 
had  recovered,  there  arrived  a  certain  Maître  Guillaume 
d’Estivet,  who  used  evil  words  against  Jeanne,  calling 
her  .  .  .  and  a paillarde.  This  abuse  upset  her  to  such 
a  point  that  the  fever  returned,  and  she  had  a  relapse. 
And  this  being  brought  to  the  notice  of  the  Earl,  he 
forbade  d’Estivet  to  abuse  Jeanne  from  that  day  forth. 

I  was  present  at  a  sermon  of  Maître  Guillaume 
Érard.  I  do  not  remember  the  sermon,  but  I  remember 


DEPOSITIONS  IN  PARIS  :  1455-6  255 

well  the  Abjuration  made  by  Jeanne.  She  was  long  in 
doing  this.  Maître  Guillaume  Érard  decided  her  by 
saying  that,  if  she  did  what  he  advised  her,  she  would  be 
delivered  from  prison.  She  abjured  on  this  condition 
and  no  other,  and  immediately  read  a  small  schedule 
containing  six  or  seven  lines  on  a  piece  of  paper  folded 
in  two.  I  was  so  near  her  that,  in  all  truth,  I  could  see 
the  lines  and  their  form. 

For  the  rest,  I  can  only  say  that  I  was  present  at  the 
last  discourse  made  in  the  Old  Market-Place  of  Rouen  by 
Maître  Nicolas  Midi.  As  soon  as  the  sermon  was  over, 
Jeanne  was  burnt,  the  stake  being  already  prepared. 
Her  pious  lamentations  and  ejaculations  made  many 
weep  ;  only  some  English  were  laughing.  I  heard  her 
say  these  or  like  words  :  “  Alas  !  Rouen,  I  fear  me  that 
thou  wilt  have  to  suffer  for  my  death.”  Shortly  after 
she  began  to  cry  “Jesus”  and  to  invoke  St.  Michael; 
and  then  she  perished  in  the  flame. 


The  Reverend  Father  in  God ,  the  Lord  Jean  de 
Mailly,  Bishop  of  Noyon. 

I  knew  nothing  of  Jeanne  before  she  came  to  Rouen  ; 
and  I  saw  her  only  two  or  three  times.  I  do  not 
remember  either  being  present  at  the  Trial  or  giving 
my  opinion. 

I  remember  that,  the  day  before  the  discourse  at 
St.  Ouen,  I  was  present  at  an  Exhortation  addressed  to 
Jeanne  ;  but  what  was  said  or  done  I  do  not  remember. 
I  was  present  also  on  the  day  after,  when  a  sermon  was 
given  at  St.  Ouen  by  Maître  Guillaume  Érard.  There 
were  two  galleries  or  scaffolds  :  on  one  were  the  Bishop 
of  Beauvais,  myself  and  others  ;  and  on  the  other  the 
preacher,  Maître  Guillaume  Érard,  and  Jeanne.  The 
words  of  the  preacher  I  do  not  remember  ;  but  I 
remember  well  that,  either  then  or  on  the  preceding  day, 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


256 

Jeanne  said  that,  if  there  had  been  aught  evil  in  her 
words  or  deeds,  whatever  of  either  good  or  ill  had  been 
in  her  speech  or  action  came  from  herself  alone,  and 
not  from  her  King.  After  the  sermon,  I  perceived 
that  Jeanne  was  ordered  to  do  or  say  something.  I 
believe  it  was  to  abjure  ;  they  said  to  he**  :  “Jeanne,  do 
what  you  are  advised.  Would  you  cause  your  own 
death  ?  ”  These  words  verily  moved  her  to  make  her 
Abjuration.  After  this  Abjuration,  many  said  that  it  was 
a  mere  trick,  and  that  she  had  acted  only  in  derision. 

I  remember  to  have  heard — from  whom  I  cannot 
recall — that  the  man’s  dress  was  returned  to  her  by  the 
window. 

For  the  rest,  I  was  present  at  the  last  sermon  on  the 
day  she  was  burnt.  There  were  three  galleries  or 
scaffolds  :  one  where  sat  the  Judges,  one  where  many 
Bishops  sat,  myself  among  them,  and  one  where  wood 
was  prepared  for  the  burning  of  Jeanne.  At  the 
end  of  the  sermon  the  sentence  was  pronounced  which 
delivered  Jeanne  to  secular  justice.  After  this  sentence 
was  pronounced,  Jeanne  began  to  make  many  pious 
exclamations  and  lamentations  ;  and  among  other  things 
she  said  that  nothing  she  had  done,  either  good  or  ill 
had  been  suggested  by  the  King.  Thereupon  I  left,  not 
wishing  to  see  the  burning  of  Jeanne.  I  saw  many  of 
the  bystanders  weeping. 

As  to  certain  letters  of  guarantee  which  the  King  of 
England  gave  to  the  Bishop  of  Beauvais  and  others 
concerned  in  this  Trial,  in  which  I,  the  Bishop  of  Noyon, 
am  mentioned  as  having  been  present,  I  can  well  believe 
that  it  was  so,  though  I  do  not  remember  much  about  it. 

Maître  Thomas  de  Courcelles,  S.T.P.,  Canon  of 
Paris. 

I  believe  that  the  Bishop  of  Beauvais  undertook  the 
Trial  brought  against  Jeanne  in  the  matter  of  the  Faith 


DEPOSITIONS  IN  PARIS:  1455-6  257 

because  he  was  a  Counsellor  of  the  King  of  England, 
and  also  Bishop  of  Beauvais,  in  which  territory  Jeanne 
had  been  taken  captive. 

I  have  heard  it  said  that  money  was  given  to  the 
Inquisitor  by  a  certain  Surreau,  receiver-general,  for  his 
participation  in  the  said  Trial;  but  I  never  heard  that 
the  Bishop  received  anything. 

At  the  time  when  Jeanne  was  brought  to  Rouen,  I, 
being  in  Paris,  was  summoned  by  the  Bishop  of  Beauvais 
aforesaid  to  proceed  to  Rouen  for  the  Trial.  I  went  in 
the  company  of  Maîtres  Nicolas  Midi,  Jacques  deTouraine, 
Jean  de  Rouel,1  and  others  whom  I  do  not  remember, 
to  the  town  of  Rouen,  at  the  expense  of  those  who 
took  us,  among  whom  was  Maître  Jean  de  Reynel.2 

About  that  time  Maître  Jean  Lohier  came  to  the  town 
of  Rouen,  and  order  was  given  to  put  him  in  possession 
of  the  details  of  the  Action.  And  when  the  said  Lohier 
had  seen  the  evidence,  he  told  me  that  evidently  they 
ought  not  to  proceed  against  Jeanne  in  a  matter  of  Faith 
without  previous  information  as  to  the  charges  of  guilt, 
and  that  the  law  required  such  information. 

I  remember  well  that  in  the  first  deliberation,  I  never 
held  Jeanne  to  be  a  heretic,  except  in  that  she  obstinately 
maintained  she  ought  not  to  submit  to  the  Church  ; 
and  finally — as  my  conscience  can  bear  me  witness, 
before  God — it  seems  to  me  that  my  words  were  : 
“  Jeanne  is  now  what  she  was.  If  she  was  heretic  then, 
she  is  so  now.”  Yet  I  never  positively  gave  an  opinion 
that  she  was  a  heretic.  I  may  add  that  in  the  first 
deliberations  there  was  much  discussion  and  difficulty 
among  those  consulted  as  to  whether  Jeanne  should 
be  reputed  a  heretic.  I  never  gave  an  opinion  as  to 
her  being  put  to  the  torture.3 

1  Not  mentioned  elsewhere.  2  Secretary  to  the  King  of  England. 

3  It  is,  however,  stated  that,  on  being  consulted,  he  did  advise  the  extreme 
measure  of  putting  Jeanne  to  the  torture. 


S 


258 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


Many  of  the  Assessors  were  of  opinion  and  advised 
that  Jeanne  should  be  put  in  the  hands  of  the  Church, 
into  an  ecclesiastical  prison  ;  but  I  do  not  remember  that 
this  subject  formed  a  part  of  our  discussions. 

Certain  Articles,  to  the  number  of  twelve,  were  made 
and  extracted  from  the  confessions  and  answers  of  the 
said  Jeanne.  They  were  drawn  up,  I  verily  believe,  by 
the  late  Maître  Nicolas  Midi.  It  was  on  these  Twelve 
Articles,  thus  extracted,  that  all  deliberations  and 
opinions  were  made  and  given.  I  do  not  know  if  there 
was  ever  any  question  of  correcting  them,  or  if  they 
were  corrected. 

I  often  heard  from  Maître  Nicolas  Loiseleur  that  he 
many  times  visited  Jeanne  in  an  assumed  dress  ;  but 
what  he  said  I  know  not  :  and  I  always  counselled  him 
that  he  should  reveal  himself  to  Jeanne,  and  let  her 
know  that  he  was  a  priest.  I  believe  he  heard  Jeanne 
in  confession. 

After  the  first  preaching  came  word  that  Jeanne  had 
resumed  a  man’s  attire  ;  and  immediately  the  Bishop 
went  to  the  prison,  accompanied  by  myself,  and 
questioned  her  as  to  her  reasons  for  resuming  this 
dress.  She  replied  that  she  had  resumed  it  because  it 
seemed  to  her  more  suitable  to  wear  man’s  clothing, 
being  with  men,  than  a  woman’s  dress. 

I  was  present  at  the  last  preaching  made  in  the 
Old  Market-Place,  on  the  day  of  her  death.  I  did  not 
see  her  burnt,  for,  after  the  sermon  and  the  reading  of 
the  sentence,  I  went  away. 

Maître  Jean  Monnet,  S.T.P.,  Canon  of  Paris. 

Three  or  four  times  I  went  to  the  Trial  and  wrote  out 
the  questions  put  to  Jeanne  and  her  answers,  not  as 
notary  but  as  clerk  and  servant  to  Maître  Jean  Beaupère. 
Among  other  things,  I  remember  hearing  Jeanne  say  to 


DEPOSITIONS  IN  PARIS:  1455-6 


259 

me  and  to  the  other  notaries,  that  we  were  not  writing 
properly  ;  and  often  did  she  correct  us.  Often,  in  these 
questions  and  answers,  when  questioned  on  something 
which  I  could  see  she  ought  not  to  answer,  she  said 
that  she  would  refer  to  the  conscience  of  the  questioner 
as  to  whether  she  ought  to  answer  or  not. 

I  was  present  at  the  preaching  at  Saint-Ouen,  seated 
on  the  platform  at  the  feet  of  Maître  Jean  Beaupère,  my 
master.  When  the  preaching  was  finished,  and  while 
the  sentence  was  being  read,  Jeanne  said  that  if  she  were 
advised  by  the  clerics  and  if  their  consciences  approved, 
she  would  willingly  do  as  they  recommended.  Hearing 
this,  the  Bishop  of  Beauvais  asked  the  Cardinal  of  Eng¬ 
land  what  he  ought  to  do  in  face  of  this  submission  of 
Jeanne.  To  which  the  Cardinal  answered  the  Bishop, 
that  he  should  receive  Jeanne  to  penitence.  And  there¬ 
fore  he  laid  on  one  side  the  sentence  which  he  had  begun 
to  read,  and  admitted  Jeanne  to  penitence.  I  saw  the 
Schedule  of  Abjuration,  which  was  then  read  ;  it  was  a 
short  schedule,  hardly  six  or  seven  lines  in  length.  I 
remember  well  that  Jeanne  referred  to  the  consciences  of 
the  Judges  as  to  whether  she  ought  to  abjure  or  not.  It 
was  said  that  the  executioner  was  already  on  the  spot, 
expecting  that  she  would  be  handed  over  to  the  secular 
power.  I  left  Rouen  on  the  Monday  or  Sunday  before 
the  death  of  Jeanne. 

Louis  de  Contes.1 

The  year  that  Jeanne  came  to  Chinon  I  was  fourteen 
or  fifteen  years  old.  I  was  page  to  the  Sieur  de  Gaucourt, 
Captain  of  the  Castle.  Jeanne  arrived  at  Chinon  in  the 
company  of  two  gentlemen,  who  conducted  her  to  the 
King.  I  saw  her  many  times  going  and  coming  to  the 

1  Louis  de  Contes  was  brother-in-law  of  Beauharnais,  the  Bourgeois  of 
Orleans.  He  was  a  son  of  Jean  de  Contes,  Captain  of  Châteaudun,  and 
Chamberlain  to  the  Duke  d’Orléans. 


S  2 


2ÔO 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


King  ;  there  was  given  her  for  residence  the  Tower 
of  Coudray,  at  Chinon.  I  resided  and  lived  with  her 
all  the  time  that  she  stayed  there,  passing  all  the 
time  with  her,  except  at  night,  when  she  always  had 
women  with  her.  I  remember  well  that  while  she  was 
living  at  Coudray  persons  of  great  estate  came  many 
days  to  visit  her  there.  I  do  not  know  what  they  did  or 
said,  because  when  I  saw  them  coming  I  retired  ;  nor  do 
I  know  who  they  were.  Very  often  while  she  lived  in 
this  town  I  saw  her  on  her  knees  praying  ;  but  I  did  not 
understand  what  she  was  saying  ;  sometimes  also  I  saw 
her  weep. 

Shortly  afterwards  she  was  taken  to  Poitiers  ;  then  to 
Tours,  where  she  resided  with  a  woman  called  Lapau. 
In  this  place  the  Duke  d’Alençon  made  her  a  present  of 
a  horse,  which  I  saw  at  the  house  of  the  woman  Lapau. 
At  Tours  I  became  her  page  ;  with  me  also  was  one 
named  Raymond.  From  that  time  I  remained  with  her, 
and  was  always  with  her  as  her  page,  at  Blois,  as  well  as 
at  Orleans,  and  until  she  reached  the  walls  of  Paris. 

While  she  was  at  Tours  the  King  gave  her  a  complete 
suit  of  armour  and  an  entire  military  household.  From 
Tours  she  went  to  Blois  with  the  army,  who  had  great 
faith  in  her.  Jeanne  remained  some  time  with  the 
army  at  Blois  ;  how  long  I  do  not  remember.  Then  it 
was  decided  that  she  should  ;go  to  Orleans  by  the 
Sologne.  She  started  fully  armed,  accompanied  by  her 
men-at-arms,  to  whom  she  said  without  ceasing  that  they 
were  to  put  all  their  confidence  in  Our  Lord  and  to 
confess  their  sins.  On  the  way  I  saw  her  during  this 
journey  receive  the  Sacrament  of  the  Eucharist. 

Having  arrived  near  Orleans  on  the  side  of  the 
Sologne,  Jeanne  with  many  others  and  myself  were  con¬ 
ducted  to  the  opposite  side  of  the  Loire,  on  which  side  is 
the  city  of  Orleans  ;  and  from  thence  we  entered  the  said 
town.  In  her  journey  from  Blois  to  Orleans,  Jeanne 


CHINON. 


2ÔI 


DEPOSITIONS  IN  PARIS:  1455-6 

had  been  all  bruised,  because  on  the  night  of  the  start 
from  Blois  she  had  slept  fully  armed.  At  Orleans  she 
lived  at  the  house  of  the  Treasurer1  of  the  Town,  facing 
the  Bannier  Gate  ;  and  in  this  house  she  received  the 
Sacrament.  The  day  after  her  arrival  she  went  to  seek 
the  Sieur  Bastard  of  Orleans,  with  whom  she  had  an 
interview  On  her  return  I  saw  she  was  quite  vexed 
that,  as  she  told  me,  the  captains  had  decided  not  to 
attack  the  English  on  that  day.  She  went  nevertheless  to 
a  Boulevard  which  the  French  were  occupying,  opposite 
to  one  garrisoned  by  the  English,  and  there  she  spoke 
with  them,  telling  them  to  retire  in  God’s  Name,  or 
otherwise  she  would  drive  them  away.  One  of  them, 
called  the  Bastard  of  Granville,  assailed  her  with  many 
insults  :  “  Do  you  wish  us,”  he  said,  “  to  surrender  to  a 
woman  ?  ”  At  the  same  time,  he  called  the  Frenchmen 
who  were  with  her  “  maquereaux  mescreans.”  Then 
Jeanne  returned  to  her  lodging,  and  went  up  into  her 
chamber  :  I  thought  she  was  going  to  sleep  :  shortly 
afterwards,  there  she  was,  coming  down  from  her 
chamber  ;  “  Ah  !  bloodthirsty  boy,”  she  said  to  me, 
“  you  did  not  tell  me  that  the  blood  of  France  was  being 
shed  !  ” 2  And  she  ordered  me  to  go  and  look  for  her 
horse.  At  the  same  time  she  was  being  armed  by  the 
lady  of  the  house  and  her  daughter.  When  I  returned 
with  her  horse  I  found  her  already  armed  :  she  told  me 
to  go  and  seek  her  banner,  which  had  been  left  in  her 
chamber  :  I  passed  it  to  her  through  the  window.  Im¬ 
mediately  she  rode  hastily  towards  the  Burgundy  gate, 
whither  the  lady  with  whom  she  lodged  told  me  to 
follow  her,  which  I  did.  The  attack  took  place  against 
the  Fort  of  Saint  Loup  ;  and  in  this  attack  the  Boule¬ 
vard  was  taken.  On  the  way  Jeanne  met  several  of  the 

1  Jacques  Bouchier. 

'*■  [“  Ha  !  sanglant  garçon,  vous  ne  me  dyriez  pas  que  le  sanc  de  France 
feust  répandu  !  ”] 


2Ô2 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


French  wounded,  at  which  she  was  much  disturbed. 
The  English  were  preparing  to  resist  when  Jeanne 
advanced  against  them  in  all  haste.  As  soon  as  the 
French  saw  her  they  began  to  shout  aloud  ;  and  thus 
was  the  Fort  of  Saint  Loup  taken.  I  heard  it  said  that 
the  English  ecclesiastics  had  taken  their  ornaments,  and 
had  thus  come  before  her;  that  Jeanne  had  received 
them  without  allowing  any  harm  to  be  done  them,  and 
had  had  them  conducted  to  her  lodging  ;  but  that  the 
other  English  had  been  killed  by  the  people  of  Orleans. 

In  the  evening  Jeanne  returned  to  supper  in  her 
lodging.  She  had  always  most  sober  habits  :  many 
times  I  saw  her  eat  nothing  during  a  whole  day  but  a 
morsel  of  bread.  I  was  astonished  that  she  ate  so 
little.  When  she  was  in  her  lodging  she  ate  only  twice 
a  day. 

The  next  day,  towards  3  o’clock,  the  soldiers  of  the 
King  crossed  the  Loire  to  attack  the  Fort  of  Saint-Jean- 
le- Blanc,  which  they  took,  as  also  the  Fort  of  the 
Augustins.1  Jeanne  crossed  the  river  with  them,  and  I 
accompanied  her  :  then  she  re-entered  Orleans,  and 
went  back  to  sleep  at  her  lodging  with  some  women, 
as  she  was  in  the  habit  of  doing  :  for  every  night,  as 
far  as  possible,  she  had  a  woman  to  sleep  by  her,  and 
when  she  could  not  find  one  in  war,  or  in  camp,  she 
slept  fully  dressed. 

The  following  day,  in  spite  of  many  Lords  pretending 
that  it  was  exposing  the  King’s  followers  to  too  great  a 
danger,  she  had  the  Burgundy  gate  opened,  and  a  small 
gate  near  the  great  tower  :  she  then  crossed  the  water 
with  some  of  her  followers  to  attack  the  Fort  of  the 
Bridge,  which  the  English  still  held.  The  King’s  troops 
remained  there  from  morning  to  night,  and  Jeanne  was 
wounded  :  it  was  necessary  to  take  off  her  armour  to 
dress  the  wound  ;  but  hardly  was  it  dressed  when  she 
1  Codestinorum ,  in  the  text. 


DEPOSITIONS  IN  PARIS  :  1455-6  263 

armed  herself  afresh  and  went  to  rejoin  her  followers  at 
the  attack  and  the  assault,  which  had  gone  on  from 
morning  without  ceasing.  And  when  the  Boulevard  was 
taken  Jeanne  still  continued  the  assault  with  her  men, 
exhorting  them  to  have  a  good  heart  and  not  to  retire, 
because  the  fort  would  very  soon  be  theirs.  “  When,” 
she  told  them,  “  you  see  the  wind  drive  the  banner 
towards  the  fort,  it  will  be  yours  !  ”  But  the  evening  was 
drawing  on,  and  her  followers,  seeing  they  made  no  way, 
despaired  of  success  ;  yet  Jeanne  persisted  always, 
assuring  them  they  would  take  the  fort  that  day.  Then 
they  prepared  to  attempt  a  last  assault  ;  and  when  the 
English  saw  this  they  made  no  resistance,  but  were  seized 
with  panic,  and  nearly  all  were  drowned  ;  nor  did  they 
during  this  attack  even  defend  themselves.  Those  who 
survived  retreated  the  next  day  to  Beaugency  and 
Meung.  The  King’s  army  followed  them,  Jeanne  accom¬ 
panying  it.  The  English  offered  to  surrender  Beaugency 
by  agreement,  or  to  fight  ;  but  on  the  day  of  combat 
they  retired  again  ;  and  the  army  began  afresh  to  pursue 
them.  On  this  day  La  Hire  commanded  the  vanguard, 
at  which  Jeanne  was  much  vexed,  for  she  liked  much  to 
have  the  command  of  the  vanguard.  La  Hire  threw 
himself  on  the  English,  and  the  King’s  army  was 
victorious  :  nearly  all  the  English  were  slain. 

Jeanne,  who  was  very  humane,  had  great  compassion  at 
such  butchery.  Seeing  a  Frenchman,  who  was  charged 
with  the  convoy  of  certain  English  prisoners,  strike  one 
of  them  on  the  head  in  such  manner  that  he  was  left 
for  dead  on  the  ground,  she  got  down  from  her  horse, 
had  him  confessed,  supporting  his  head  herself,  and  com¬ 
forting  him  to  the  best  of  her  power. 

Afterwards  she  went  with  the  army  to  Jargeau,  which 
was  taken  by  assault,  with  many  English,  among  whom 
were  Suffolk  and  de  la  Pole1.  After  the  deliverance  of 


1  John  de  la  Pole,  Captain  of  Avranches,  brother  of  the  Earl  of  Suffolk. 


264 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


Orleans,  and  all  these  victories,  Jeanne  went  with  the 
army  to  Tours,  where  the  King  was.  There  it  was 
decided  that  the  King  should  go  to  Rheims  for  his 
consecration.  The  King  left  with  the  army,  accom¬ 
panied  by  Jeanne,  and  marched  first  to  Troyes,  which 
submitted  ;  then  to  Chalons,  which  did  the  same  ;  and 
last  to  Rheims,  where  our  King  was  crowned  and 
anointed  in  my  presence — for  I  was,  as  I  have  already 
said,  page  to  Jeanne,  and  never  left  her.  I  remained 
with  her  until  she  arrived  before  Paris. 

She  was  a  good  and  modest  woman,  living  as  a 
Catholic,  very  pious,  and,  when  she  could,  never  failing 
to  be  present  at  the  Mass.  To  hear  blasphemies  upon 
the  Name  of  Our  Lord  vexed  her.  Many  times  when 
the  Duke  d’Alençon  swore  1  or  blasphemed  before  her,  I 
heard  her  reprove  him.  As  a  rule,  no  one  in  the  army 
dared  swear  or  blaspheme  before  her,  for  fear  of 
being  reprimanded. 

She  would  have  no  women  in  her  army.  One  day, 
near  Château-Thierry,  seeing  the  mistress  of  one  of  her 
followers  riding  on  horseback,  she  pursued  her  with  her 
sword,  without  striking  her  at  all  ;  but  with  gentleness 
and  charity  she  told  her  she  must  no  longer  be  found 
amongst  the  soldiers,  otherwise  she  would  suffer  for  it. 

I  know  nothing  more,  not  having  seen  her  after 
Paris. 

Gobert  Thibaut,  Squire  to  the  King  of  France. 

I  was  at  Chinon  when  Jeanne  came  to  seek  the 
King,  who  was  then  residing  in  that  city.  Before 
this,  I  knew  nothing  of  her  ;  but  henceforward  I  had 

1  Jeanne’s  hatred  of  swearing  is  noticed  by  many  of  her  followers,  and  in 
her  hearing  they  endeavoured  to  abstain  from  it.  La  Hire,  whose  language 
was  apparently  the  most  violent,  was  permitted  by  her  to  employ  the  mild 
expletive  ‘  Par  mon  martin,’  ‘  By  my  baton,’  an  expression  she  herself  is 
constantly  reported  to  have  used. 


DEPOSITIONS  IN  PARIS:  1455-6  265 

more  acquaintance  with  her,  for,  when  I  went  with  the 
King  to  the  town  of  Poitiers,  Jeanne  was  also  taken 
thither  and  lodged  in  the  house  of  Jean  Rabateau. 
I  know  that  Jeanne  was  questioned  and  examined  in 
the  town  of  Poitiers  by  the  late  Maître  Pierre  de 
Versailles,  S.T.P., — then  Abbot  of  Talmont  and,  at  the 
time  of  his  death,  Bishop  of  Meaux, — and  by  Maître 
Jean  Erault,  S.T.P.  I  went  with  them  by  the  command 
of  the  late  Lord  Bishop  of  Castres.  As  I  have  said,  she 
was  living  in  the  house  of  Rabateau,  in  which  house  de 
Versailles  and  Erault  talked  with  her  in  my  presence. 
When  we  arrived  at  her  house,  Jeanne  came  to  meet  us, 
and  striking  me  on  the  shoulder  said  to  me  that  she 
would  gladly  have  many  men  of  such  good-will  as  I. 
Then  Maître  Pierre  de  Versailles  told  Jeanne  that  he 
had  been  sent  to  her  from  the  King.  She  replied  :  “  I 
well  believe  that  you  have  been  sent  to  question  me,” 
adding,  “  I  know  neither  A  nor  B.” 

Then  she  was  asked  by  them  for  what  she  had  come. 
She  replied  ;  “  I  am  come  from  the  King  of  Heaven  to 
raise  the  siege  of  Orleans  and  to  conduct  the  King  to 
Rheims  for  his  crowning  and  anointing.”  And  then  she 
asked  if  they  had  paper  and  ink,  saying  to  Maître  Jean 
Erault  :  “  Write  what  I  say  to  you.  You,  Suffolk, 
Classidas,  and  La  Poule,  I  summon  you  by  order  of  the 
King  of  Heaven  to  go  back  to  England.”  Versailles 
and  Erault  did  nothing  more  on  this  occasion,  so  far  as  I 
remember.  Jeanne  remained  in  the  town  of  Poitiers  as 
long  as  the  King  did. 

Jeanne  said  that  her  Counsel  had  told  her  she  should 
have  gone  more  quickly  to  the  King.  I  saw  those 
who  had  brought  her — Jean  de  Metz,  Jean  Coulon,  and 
Bertrand  Pollichon,1  with  whom  I  was  very  friendly  and 
familiar.  I  was  present  one  day  when  they  told  the  late 
Bishop  of  Castres — then  Confessor  to  the  King — that 

1  A  nickname  of  Poulcngey. 


2  66 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


they  had  travelled  through  Burgundy  and  places  occu¬ 
pied  by  the  enemy,  yet  had  they  always  travelled  without 
hindrance,  at  which  they  much  marvelled. 

I  heard  the  aforesaid  Confessor  say  that  he  had 
discovered  in  a  writing  that  there  should  come  a  maiden 
who  would  aid  the  Kingdom  of  France. 

I  do  not  know  whether  Jeanne  was  examined  other¬ 
wise  than  as  aforesaid.  I  heard  the  said  Lord  Confessor 
and  other  Doctors  say  that  they  believed  Jeanne  to  be 
sent  from  God,  and  that  they  believed  it  was  she  of 
whom  the  prophecies  spoke  ;  because,  seeing  her  actions, 
her  simplicity,  and  conduct,  they  thought  the  King 
might  be  delivered  through  her  ;  for  they  had  neither 
found  nor  perceived  aught  but  good  in  her,  nor  could 
they  see  anything  contrary  to  the  Catholic  faith. 

On  the  day  that  the  Lord  Talbot,  who  had  been  taken 
at  Patay,  was  brought  to  the  town  of  Beaugency,  I 
arrived  at  that  town  ;  and  from  thence  Jeanne  went  with 
the  men-at-arms  to  Jargeau,  which  was  taken  by  assault, 
and  the  English  were  put  to  flight. 

Jeanne  assembled  an  army  between  Troyes  and 
Auxerre,  and  found  large  numbers  there,  for  every  one 
followed  her.  The  King  and  his  people  came  without 
hindrance  to  Rheims.  Nowhere  was  the  King  turned 
back,  for  the  gates  of  all  cities  and  towns  opened  them¬ 
selves  to  him. 


Simon  Baucroix,  Squire. 

It  was  Jeanne’s  intention  that  the  army  should  go 
towards  the  Fort  or  Bastille  of  Saint-Jean-le-Blanc  :  but 
this  was  not  done  ;  and  they  went  to  a  place  between 
Orleans  and  Jargeau,  whither  the  inhabitants  of  Orleans 
sent  boats  to  receive  the  provisions  and  to  take  them 
into  the  town  ;  and  the  said  provisions  were  put  into 
the  boats  and  brought  into  the  town.  And  because 


267 


DEPOSITIONS  IN  PARIS  :  1455-6 

the  army  was  not  able  to  cross  the  Loire,  it  was  decided 
to  return  and  cross  the  river  at  Blois  :  for  there  was  no 
bridge  nearer  within  the  King’s  jurisdiction.  At  this 
Jeanne  was  very  indignant,  fearing  they  would  not  be 
willing  to  fall  back,  and  so  would  leave  the  work  un¬ 
finished.  Neither  could  she  go  with  them  to  Blois  ;  but 
she  crossed  the  river  with  about  200  lances  in  boats 
to  the  other  bank,  and  entered  Orleans  by  land.  The 
Marshal  de  Boussac  went  that  night  to  seek  the  King’s 
army  which  had  gone  to  Blois  ;  and  I  remember  that 
shortly  before  the  arrival  of  the  said  Marshal  at  Orleans, 
Jeanne  said  to  Sieur  Jean  d’Aulon  that  the  Marshal 
would  arrive,  and  that  she  knew  well  he  would  come 
to  no  harm. 

When  Jeanne  was  in  her  lodging,  she,  being  led  by 
the  Spirit,  cried  out  :  “  In  God’s  Name  !  our  people  are 
hard  pressed.”  Then  she  sent  for  a  horse  ;  and,  arming 
herself,  she  went  to  the  Fort  of  Saint  Loup,  where  there 
was  an  assault  being  made  by  the  King’s  people  on  the 
English  :  and  no  sooner  had  Jeanne  joined  in  the  attack, 
than  the  fort  was  taken. 

The  next  day  the  French  in  company  with  Jeanne 
went  to  attack  the  Fort  of  Saint-Jean-le-Blanc,  and  drew 
near  to  the  island  ;  and  when  the  English  saw  that  the 
King’s  army  had  crossed  the  water,  they  quitted  the 
Fort  of  Saint-Jean-le- Blanc,  and  retreated  to  another  fort 
near  the  Augustins.  And  there  I  saw  the  King’s  army 
in  great  peril.  “  Let  us  advance  boldly  in  God's  Name,” 
said  Jeanne  :  and  they  advanced  on  the  English,  who, 
now  in  much  danger,  held  their  three  forts.1  At  once, 
without  much  difficulty,  this  fort  of  the  Augustins 
was  taken  ;  and  the  captains  then  advised  Jeanne  to 
re-enter  Orleans  ;  but  this  she  would  not  do,  saying, 
“  Shall  we  leave  our  men  ?  ”  The  next  day  they 

1  These  three  forts  were  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Loire  ;  the  fort  of  the 
Tourelles,  of  the  Augustins,  and  of  Saint-Privé  were  further  west. 


268 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


attacked  the  fort  at  the  end  of  the  bridge,  which  was 
very  strong  and  almost  impregnable,  so  that  the  King’s 
army  had  much  to  do  ;  and  the  attack  lasted  the  whole 
day,  up  to  nightfall.  I  saw  the  Seneschal  of  Beaucaire 
break  up  the  bridge  with  a  bombard.  When  evening 
came  and  they  despaired  of  gaining  the  fort,  orders  were 
given  that  Jeanne’s  standard  should  be  brought  to  the 
fort  ;  and  this  being  done  another  attack  was  made  on 
the  fort,  and  thereupon  without  much  difficulty  the 
King’s  army  entered  with  the  standard  ;  and  the  English 
fled,  in  such  manner  that  when  they  reached  the  end  of 
the  bridge  it  broke  down  beneath  them,  and  many  were 
drowned. 

The  next  day  the  King’s  army  sallied  out  to  give 
battle  to  the  English  ;  but  they,  on  seeing  the  French, 
fled.  When  Jeanne  saw  them  in  flight  and  the  French 
following  after,  she  said  to  the  French  :  “  Let  the  English 
go,  and  slay  them  not  ;  let  them  go  ;  it  is  enough  for  me 
that  they  have  retreated.”  On  that  day,  they  escaped 
from  the  city  of  Orleans  and  turned  back  on  Blois,  which 
they  reached  the  same  day. 

Jeanne  stayed  there  two  or  three  days  ;  and  from 
thence  she  went  to  Tours,  and  to  Loches,  where  the 
King’s  army  was  preparing  to  go  to  Jargeau  ;  and  from 
thence  they  went  to  attack  that  town. 

In  war  time,  she  would  not  permit  any  of  those  in  her 
company  to  steal  anything  ;  nor  would  she  ever  eat  of 
food  which  she  knew  to  be  stolen.  Once,  a  Scot  told 
her  that  he  had  eaten  of  a  stolen  calf  :  she  was  very 
angry,  and  wanted  to  strike  the  Scot  for  so  doing. 

She  would  never  permit  women  of  ill-fame  to  follow 
the  army  ;  none  of  them  dared  to  come  into  her  presence  ; 
but,  if  any  of  them  appeared,  she  made  them  depart 
unless  the  soldiers  were  willing  to  marry  them. 

She  was  good  not  only  to  the  French,  but  also  to  the 
enemy.  All  this  I  know  of  a  surety,  for  I  was  for 


ORLEANS  CATHEDRAL. 


DEPOSITIONS  IN  PARIS:  1455-6  269 

a  long  time  with  her,  and  many  times  assisted  in 
arming  her. 

Jeanne  lamented  much,  and  was  displeased  when 
certain  good  women  came  to  her,  wishing  to  salute  her  : 
it  seemed  to  her  like  adoration,  at  which  she  was 
angered. 

Maître  Jean  Barbin,  Doctor  of  Laws ,  Kings  Advo¬ 
cate. 

I  was  sent  to  Poitiers,  where  I  saw  Jeanne  for  the 
first  time.  When  she  arrived  at  the  town  she  was  lodged 
in  the  house  of  Maître  Jean  Rabateau  ;  and  while  there 
I  have  heard  the  wife  of  Rabateau  say  that  every  day 
after  dinner  she  was  for  a  long  time  on  her  knees,  and 
also  at  night  ;  and  that  she  often  went  into  a  little 
oratory  in  the  house  and  there  prayed  for  a  long  time. 
Many  clergy  came  to  visit  her, — to  wit,  Maître  Pierre 
de  Versailles,  S.T.  P.,  sometime  Bishop  of  Meaux,  and 
Maître  Guillaume  Aimery,  S.T.P.  There  were  also 
other  graduates  in  theology,  whose  names  I  do  not 
remember,  who  questioned  her  in  like  manner  at 
their  will. 

I  heard  from  these  said  Doctors  that  they  had  examined 
her  and  put  many  questions,  to  which  she  replied  with 
much  prudence,  as  if  she  had  been  a  trained  divine  ; 
that  they  marvelled  at  her  answers,  and  believed  that, 
taking  into  account  her  life  and  conversation,  there  must 
have  been  in  her  something  divine. 

In  the  course  of  these  deliberations  Maître  Jean 
Erault  stated  that  he  had  heard  it  said  by  Marie 
d’Avignon,1  who  had  formerly  come  to  the  King,  that  she 
had  told  him  that  the  kingdom  of  France  had  much  to 
suffer  and  many  calamities  to  bear  :  saying  moreover 
that  she  had  had  many  visions  touching  the  desolation 

1  A  woman  called  “  la  gasque  d’Avignon,”  whose  predictions  made  much 
stir  at  the  beginning  of  the  fifteenth  century. 


270 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


of  the  kingdom  of  France,  and  amongst  others  that  she 
had  seen  much  armour  which  had  been  presented  to 
her  ;  and  that  she  was  alarmed,  greatly  fearing  that  she 
should  be  forced  to  take  it  ;  but  it  had  been  said  to  her 
that  she  need  fear  nothing,  that  this  armour  was  not  for 
her,  but  that  a  maiden  who  should  come  afterwards 
should  bear  these  arms  and  deliver  the  kingdom  oi 
France  from  the  enemy.  And  he  believed  firmly  that 
Jeanne  was  the  maiden  of  whom  Marie  d’Avignon  thus 
spoke. 

All  the  soldiers  held  her  as  sacred.  So  well  did  she 
bear  herself  in  warfare,  in  words  and  in  deeds,  as  a 
follower  oi  God,  that  no  evil  could  be  said  of  her.  I 
heard  Maître  Pierre  de  Versailles  say  that  he  was  once 
in  the  town  of  Loches  in  company  with  Jeanne,  when 
the  people,  throwing  themselves  before  the  feet  of  her 
horse,  kissed  her  hands  and  feet  ;  and  he  said  to  Jeanne 
that  she  did  wrong  to  allow  what  was  not  due  to  her, 
and  that  she  ought  to  protect  herself  from  it  lest  men 
should  become  idolatrous  ;  to  which  she  answered  :  “In 
truth,  I  know  not  how  to  protect  myself,  if  God  does  not 
protect  me.” 

Dame  Marguerite  La  Touroulde,  widow  of  the  late 
Réné  de  Bouligny ,  Councillor  to  the  King. 

I  was  at  Bourges  when  Jeanne  arrived  at  Chinon, 
where  the  Queen  was.  In  those  days  there  was  in  the 
kingdom — especially  in  that  part  still  obedient  to  the 
King— such  great  calamity  and  penury  as  was  sad  to  see  ; 
so  that  the  followers  of  the  King  were  almost  in  despair  : 
and  this  I  know,  because  my  husband  was  then  Receiver- 
General,  and  at  that  time  neither  of  the  King’s  money 
nor  of  his  own  had  he  four  crowns. 

The  town  of  Orleans  was  in  the  hands  of  the  King, 
and  there  was  no  way  of  help.  And  in  this  calamity 


271 


DEPOSITIONS  IN  PARIS:  14 55-6 

came  Jeanne,  and  I  firmly  believe  that  she  came  from 
God  and  was  sent  for  the  relief  of  the  King  and  his 
faithful  subjects,  who  then  were  without  hope  save  in 
God. 

I  did  not  see  Jeanne  until  the  time  when  the  King 
came  from  Rheims,  where  he  was  consecrated.  He 
came  to  Bourges,  where  was  the  Queen,  and  I  with  her. 
When  the  King  approached,  the  Queen  went  to  meet 
him  as  far  as  the  town  of  Selles-en-Berry,  and  I  accom¬ 
panied  her.  While  the  Queen  was  on  the  way,  Jeanne 
encountered  and  saluted  her,  and  was  then  taken  on  to 
Bourges,  and  by  command  of  my  Lord  d’Albret  lodged 
in  my  house,  although  my  husband  had  said  that  she 
was  to  be  lodged  with  a  certain  Jean  Duchesne. 

She  remained  with  me  for  the  space  of  three  weeks — 
sleeping,  drinking,  and  eating  [in  the  house].  Nearly 
every  night  I  slept  with  her,  nor  did  I  ever  perceive 
aught  of  evil  in  her,  but  she  comported  herself  as  a 
worthy  and  Catholic  woman,  often  confessing  herself, 
willingly  hearing  Mass,  and  many  times  asking  me  to 
accompany  her  to  matins,  which  at  her  request  I  often 
did.  We  often  talked  together,  and  I  would  say  to  her  : 
“  If  you  do  not  fear  to  go  to  the  attack,  it  is  because  you 
know  that  you  will  not  be  killed  ”  :  to  which  she  would 
reply  that  she  had  no  greater  security  than  other 
soldiers.  Sometimes  Jeanne  would  tell  me  how  she  had 
been  examined  by  the  Clergy,  and  that  she  had  made 
them  the  answer  :  “  There  are  books  of  Our  Lord’s 
besides  what  you  have.” 

I  heard  from  those  that  brought  her  to  the  King  that 
at  first  they  thought  she  was  mad,  and  intended  to 
put  her  away  in  some  ditch,  but  while  on  the  way 
they  felt  moved  to  do  everything  according  to  her 
good  pleasure.  They  were  as  impatient  to  present  her 
to  the  King,  as  she  was  to  meet  him,  nor  could  they 
resist  her  wishes. 


272 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


They  testified  as  others  did  to  the  purity  of  her 
conduct  and  influence. 

Jeanne  told  me  that  the  Duke  de  Lorraine  who  was 
ill,  wished  to  see  her,  that  she  talked  with  him,  and  told 
him  that  he  was  not  living  well,  and  that  he  would  never 
be  cured  unless  he  amended  ;  also  she  exhorted  him  to 
take  back  his  good  wife.1 

Jeanne  had  great  horror  of  dice. 

I  remember  that  many  women  came  to  my  house 
while  Jeanne  was  living  there,  and  brought  pater  nosters 
and  other  religious  objects  that  she  might  touch  them  ; 
but  Jeanne  laughed,  saying:  “Touch  them  yourselves. 
Your  touch  will  do  them  as  much  good  as  mine.” 

Jeanne  was  very  liberal  in  almsgiving,  and  willingly 
succoured  the  poor  and  indigent,  saying  that  she  had 
been  sent  for  their  consolation. 

...  I  have  no  doubt  that  she  was  virgin.  Accord¬ 
ing  to  my  knowledge  she  was  quite  innocent,  unless  it  be 
in  warfare.  She  rode  on  horseback  and  handled  the 
lance  like  the  best  of  the  knights,  and  the  soldiers 
marvelled. 

Jean  Marcel,  Burgess  of  Paris. 

Maître  Jean  Sauvage,  of  the  Order  of  Saint  Dominic, 
who  often  talked  with  me  of  Jeanne,  has  told  me  that 
he  was  engaged  in  the  Process  against  her  ;  but  it 
was  difficult  to  make  him  speak  of  it.  He  did  once  say, 
that  he  had  never  seen  a  woman  of  such  years  give  so 
much  trouble  to  her  examiners,  and  he  marvelled  much 
at  her  answers  and  at  her  memory.  Once  the  notary 
reporting  what  he  had  written,  she  declared  that  she  had 
not  said  what  they  had  made  her  say,  and  referred  it  to 
those  present,  who  all  recognized  that  Jeanne  was  right, 
and  the  answer  was  corrected. 

1  The  devoted  Margaret  of  Bavaria,  who  was  separated  from  him  on 
account  of  his  evil  life. 


273 


DEPOSITIONS  IN  PARIS:  1455-6 

I  was  present  at  the  sermon  at  Saint-Ouen  ;  and 
there  for  the  first  time  I  saw  Jeanne.  I  remember  that 
Maître  Guillaume  Érard  preached  in  presence  of  the 
said  Jeanne,  who  was  in  a  man’s  dress.  But  what  was 
said  or  done  in  the  sermon  I  know  not.  I  was  at  some 
distance  from  the  Preacher.  I  heard  it  said  that  Maître 
Laurence  Calot  said  to  Maître  Pierre  Cauchon,  that  he 
was  too  slow  in  pronouncing  judgment,  and  that  he  was 
not  judging  rightly  ;  to  which  Maître  Pierre  Cauchon 
replied  that  he  lied. 

I  was  also  at  the  second  preaching,  on  the  day  that 
Jeanne  was  burnt,  and  saw  her  in  the  flames  calling  out 
in  a  loud  voice  many  times  “  Jesus  !  ”  I  believe  firmly 
that  she  died  a  Catholic  and  ended  her  days  well  in 
good  Christian  estate  ;  and  this  I  know  from  what  I 
had  from  the  monks  who  were  with  her  in  her  last  hours. 
I  saw  many — the  greater  part  of  those  present — weeping 
and  bewailing  for  pity,  and  saying  that  Jeanne  had  been 
unjustly  condemned. 

The  Duke  d’Alençon.1 

When  Jeanne  arrived  at  Chinon,  I  was  at  Saint 
Florent.  One  day,  when  I  was  hunting  quails,  a 
messenger  came  to  inform  me  that  there  had  come  to 
the  King  a  young  girl,  who  said  she  was  sent  from  God 
to  conquer  the  English  and  to  raise  the  siege  then 
undertaken  by  them  against  Orleans.  It  was  for  this 
reason  that  I  went  on  the  following  day  to  Chinon, 
where  I  found  Jeanne  talking  with  the  King.  Having 
approached  them,  she  asked  me  who  I  was.  “It  is 
the  Duke  d’Alençon,”  replied  the  King.  “  You  are 
welcome,”  she  then  said  to  me,  “  the  more  that  come 
together  of  the  blood  of  France  the  better  it  will  be.” 
The  next  day  she  went  to  the  King’s  Mass  ;  and  when 

1  Jean,  Duke  d’Alençon,  son  of  the  Duke  killed  at  Agincourt.  He  was  of 
the  Blood  Royal,  descended  from  Philip  II. 


T 


274 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


she  perceived  him  she  made  a  profound  salutation. 
After  Mass  the  King  took  her  into  his  private  room, 
where  he  kept  me  with  him,  as  well  as  the  Sieur  de  la 
Tremouille,  after  having  sent  away  all  the  others. 
Jeanne  then  made  several  requests  to  the  King — 
amongst  others  that  he  would  make  a  gift  of  his 
kingdom  to  the  King  of  Heaven,  because  the  King 
of  Heaven,  after  this  gift,  would  do  for  him  as  He  had 
done  for  his  predecessor,  and  reinstate  him  in  all  his 
rights.  Many  other  things  were  said,  up  to  the  hour  ot 
dinner,  which  I  do  not  remember.  After  dinner  the 
King  went  for  a  walk;  Jeanne  coursed  before  him, 
lance  in  hand.  Seeing  her  manage  her  lance  so  well  I 
gave  her  a  horse. 

Following  on  this  the  King  caused  her  to  be  examined 
by  the  Clergy.  Choice  was  made  of  the  Bishop  of 
Chartres,  the  King’s  Confessor;  the  Bishop  of  Senlis1 
Mende  and  Poitiers  ;  Maître  Pierre  de  Versailles,  since 
Bishop  of  Meaux;  Maître  Jourdin  Morin,  and  many 
others  whose  names  I  do  not  recall.  They  questioned 
her  in  my  presence  and  asked  why  she  had  come,  and 
who  had  caused  her  to  come  to  the  King  ?  She  replied 
that  she  had  come  from  the  King  of  Heaven,  that  she 
had  voices  and  a  Counsel  which  told  her  what  she  was 
to  do  ;  but  I  do  not  remember  if  she  made  known  what 
those  voices  told  her. 

One  day  when  dining  with  me  she  told  me  that  the 
clergy  had  examined  her  well,  but  that  she  knew  and 
could  do  more  than  she  had  told  them.  The  King 
when  he  had  heard  the  report  of  his  commissioners, 
wished  that  she  should  still  go  to  Poitiers,  in  order  to 
submit  to  another  examination.  I  did  not  assist  at 
this  examination  ;  I  only  knew  it  to  be  afterwards  re¬ 
ported  to  the  Council,  that  the  examiners  at  Poitiers 

1  The  Bishop  referred  to  is  Simon  Bonnet,  Bishop  of  Senlis  at  that  time, 
not  the  partisan  of  the  English  who  occupied  the  seat  in  1429. 


DEPOSITIONS  IN  PARIS  :  1455-6  275 

held  the  opinion  that  there  was  nothing  in  her  contrary 
to  the  Faith,  and  that  the  King,  considering  his  extreme 
necessity,  might  make  use  of  her  assistance. 

On  receiving  this  news  the  King  sent  me  to  the 
Queen  of  Sicily1  to  prepare  a  convoy  of  supplies 
for  the  army,  which  was  then  being  directed  against 
Orleans.  I  found  with  the  Queen  the  Sieur  Ambroise 
de  Loré,2  and  the  Sieur  Louis — his  other  name  I  do 
not  remember — who  prepared  the  convoy  :  but  money 
was  lacking,  and  in  order  to  obtain  it  I  returned  to  the 
King,  to  whom  I  made  known  that  the  supplies  were 
prepared,  and  that  it  only  remained  to  procure  the 
necessary  money  to  pay  for  them  and  for  the  army.  The 
King  then  sent  people  who  delivered  the  necessary 
sums  ;  so  that  in  the  end  soldiers  and  supplies  were 
ready,  and  there  was  nothing  more  to  be  done  but  to 
gain  Orleans,  and  try  to  raise  the  siege. 

With  this  army  Jeanne  was  sent.  The  King  had 
caused  armour  to  be  made  for  her.3 

The  King’s  army  started  with  Jeanne.  What 
happened  on  the  way,  and  afterwards  in  Orleans,  I 
know  only  by  hearsay — for  I  was  not  present,  not 
having  then  gone  to  Orleans — but  I  went  there  shortly 
after,  and  saw  the  works  which  had  been  raised  by  the 
English  before  the  town.  I  was  able  to  study  the 
strength  of  these  works  :  and  I  think  that,  to  have  made 


1  Yolande,  daughter  of  John  I.  of  Aragon  ;  wife  of  Louis  XL,  Duke 
of  Anjou,  and  titular  King  of  Sicily.  She  was  the  mother  of  Mary, 
wife  of  Charles  VI L,  and  grandmother  of  Margaret,  afterwards  wife  of 
Henry  VI. 

A  receipt  is  recorded,  in  Quicherat  (III.  93),  for  the  carriage  of  corn,  on 
her  behalf,  from  Orleans  to  Blois. 

2  A  captain  of  some  repute,  exchanged  for  Talbot  after  the  Battle  of 
Patay. 

3  In  the  Accounts  (formerly  kept  in  the  Chambre  des  Comtes  at  Paris),  of 
Maître  Hemon  Raguier,  Treasurer  of  War,  there  is  an  item  relating  to  this 
suit  of  armour  :  “  To  the  Master  Armourer,  for  a  complete  harness  for  the 
said  Pucelle,  100  livres  tournois.” 


T  2 


276 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


themselves  masters  of  these — above  all,  the  Fort  of  the 
Tourelles  at  the  end  of  the  Bridge,  and  the  Fort  of  the 
Augustins — the  French  needed  a  real  miracle.  If  I  had 
been  in  either  one  or  the  other,  with  only  a  few  men,  I 
should  have  ventured  to  defy  the  power  of  a  whole  army 
for  six  or  seven  days  :  and  they  would  not  have  been 
able,  I  think,  to  have  mastered  it.  For  the  rest,  I  heard 
from  the  captains  and  soldiers  who  took  part  in  the  siege, 
that  what  had  happened  was  miraculous  ;  and  that  it  was 
beyond  man’s  power. 

I  did  not  see  Jeanne  from  the  time  she  left  the  King 
until  after  the  raising  of  the  siege  of  Orleans.  After 
this  siege,  we  succeeded  in  assembling  as  many  as  600 
lances,  with  which  we  decided  to  march  on  Jargeau, 
then  occupied  by  the  English.  That  night  we  slept  in 
a  wood.  On  the  following  morning  we  were  joined  by 
another  division,  under  the  guidance  of  the  Sieur  Bastard 
of  Orleans,  the  Sieur  Florent  d’llliers,1  and  many  other 
captains.  When  we  were  all  joined  together,  we  found 
ourselves  to  number  about  1,200  lances.  There  was  then 
contention  among  the  captains  :  some  were  of  opinion 
that  the  attack  should  be  made  ;  and  others  opposed  it, 
seeing  the  great  strength  of  the  English  and  their  large 
numbers.  Jeanne,  seeing  us  thus  divided,  said  :  “  No,  do 
not  fear  their  numbers  ;  do  not  hesitate  to  make  the 
attack  ;  God  will  conduct  your  enterprise  ;  if  I  were  not 
sure  that  it  is  God  Who  guides  us,  I  would  rather  take 
care  of  the  sheep  than  expose  myself  to  such  great 
perils!”  On  these  words  we  marched  to  Jargeau, 
counting  on  gaining  the  suburbs  that  day  and  passing  the 
night  there.  But  on  the  news  of  our  approach,  the 
English  came  to  meet  us  and  at  first  drove  us  back. 
Seeing  this  Jeanne  seized  her  standard  and  began  the 
attack,  telling  the  soldiers  to  have  good  courage.  We 

1  A  street  in  Orleans  is  still  called  after  d’llliers,  then  Captain  of 
Châteaudun. 


DEPOSITIONS  IN  PARIS  :  1455-6  277 

succeeded  so  well  that  we  were  able  that  night  to  camp 
in  the  suburbs.  I  think  truly  it  was  God  Who  was  lead¬ 
ing  us  ;  for,  in  the  night  that  followed,  we  kept  no 
guard  ;  so  that,  had  the  English  made  a  sally,  we  must 
have  been  in  great  danger.  The  next  morning  we  pre¬ 
pared  artillery  and  had  the  machines  and  bombards 
placed  in  position.  Then  we  consulted  for  some  time 
as  to  what  should  be  done  against  the  English  in 
Jargeau  in  order  to  take  the  town.  While  we  were 
deliberating,  we  were  told  that  La  Hire  was  in  confer¬ 
ence  with  the  English  Lord  Suffolk.  I  and  the  other 
captains  were  much  provoked  at  this,  and  sent  for  La 
Hire,  who  came  at  once.  The  attack  being  resolved 
upon,  the  Heralds-at-Arms  began  to  sound,  “To  the 
Assault!”  “Forward,  gentle  Duke,  to  the  assault!” 
cried  Jeanne  to  me.  And  when  I  told  her  it  was  pre¬ 
mature  to  attack  so  quickly  :  “  Have  no  fear,”  she  said 
to  me,  “  it  is  the  right  time  when  it  pleases  God  ;  we 
must  work  when  it  is  His  Will  :  act,  and  God  will 
act  !  ”  “  Ah  !  gentle  Duke,”  she  said  to  me,  later,  “  art 

thou  afraid  ?  dost  thou  not  know  that  I  promised  thy 
wife  1  to  bring  thee  back,  safe  and  sound  ?  ” 

And  indeed  when  I  left  my  wife  to  come  with  Jeanne 
to  the  head-quarters  of  the  army,  my  wife  had  told  me 
that  she  feared  much  for  me,  that  I  had  but  just  left 
prison 2  and  much  had  been  spent  on  my  ransom,  and  she 
would  gladly  have  asked  that  I  might  remain  with  her. 
To  this  Jeanne  had  replied:  “Lady,  have  no  fear;  I 
will  give  him  back  to  you  whole,  or  even  in  better  case 
than  he  is  now.” 

During  the  assault  on  Jargeau  Jeanne  said  to  me  : 
“  Go  back  from  this  place,  or  that  engine — pointing  out 

1  Jeanne,  daughter  of  the  Duke  d’Orléans. 

The  Duke  d’Alençon,  at  the  age  of  eighteen,  had  been  taken  prisoner 
at  the  battle  of  Verneuil,  in  1424,  and  kept  for  five  years  in  the  Castle  of 
Crotoy,  where  Jeanne  herself  was  afterwards  imprisoned. 


278 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


an  engine  of  war  in  the  city — will  kill  you.”  I  retired, 
and  shortly  after  that  very  engine  did  indeed  kill 
the  Sieur  de  Lude  in  that  very  place  from  which  she 
told  me  to  go  away.  On  this  account  I  had  great  fear, 
and  wondered  much  at  Jeanne’s  words  and  how  true 
they  came.  Afterwards,  Jeanne  made  the  attack  ;  in 
which  I  followed  her.  As  our  men  were  invading  the 
place,  the  Earl  of  Suffolk  made  proclamation  that  he 
wished  to  speak  with  me,  but  we  did  not  listen,  and  the 
attack  continued.  Jeanne  was  on  a  ladder,  her  standard 
in  her  hand,  when  her  standard  was  struck  and  she 
herself  was  hit  on  the  head  by  a  stone  which  was  partly 
spent,  and  which  struck  her  calotte.1  She  was  thrown 
to  the  ground  ;  but,  raising  herself,  she  cried  :  “  Friends  ! 
friends  !  come  on  !  come  on  !  Our  Lord  hath  doomed 
the  English  !  They  are  ours  !  keep  a  good  heart.”  At 
that  moment  the  town  was  carried  ;  and  the  English 
retired  to  the  bridges,  where  the  French  pursued  them 
and  killed  more  than  1,100  men. 

The  town  taken,2  Jeanne  and  the  army  went  to 
Orleans  ;  then  from  Orleans  to  Meung-sur-Loire,  where 
were  the  English  under  the  command  of  ‘  the  child  of 
Warwick  ’  and  Scales.  Beneath  the  walls  of  Meung,  I 
passed  the  night  in  a  Church  with  a  few  soldiers,  and 
was  in  great  peril.  The  day  after  the  taking  of  Meung, 
we  went  to  Beaugency  ;  and  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
this  town  we  rallied  to  us  a  part  of  the  army  with  which 
we  attacked  the  English  who  were  in  Beaugency.  In 
consequence  of  our  attack  the  English  abandoned  the 
town  and  retired  into  a  camp  which  we  had  watched 
during  the  night  for  fear  they  should  beat  a  retreat. 
We  were  there  when  the  news  reached  us  that  the 
Constable  was  coming  to  join  us  :  Jeanne,  the  other 

1  Head-covering  without  visor,  “  chapeline  casque  léger  en  forme\  de 
calotte  sans  masque.  ” 

2  Jargeau  was  taken  on  June  nth,  1429. 


DEPOSITIONS  IN  PARIS:  1455-6 


279 


Captains,  and  I  myself  were  much  troubled  by  this 
news,  and  wished  to  retire,  because  we  had  orders  from 
the  King  not  to  receive  the  said  Constable  into  our 
company.  I  told  Jeanne  that  if  the  Constable  came 
I  should  retire.  The  next  day,  before  his  arrival, 
we  learned  that  the  English  were  marching  upon  us 
in  great  number,  under  the  command  of  Talbot.1  Our 
men  immediately  called  “To  arms!”  and,  seeing  that 
I  wished  to  retire  because  of  the  arrival  of  the  Con¬ 
stable,  Jeanne  told  me  that  we  must  help  one  another. 
The  English  surrendered  their  camp  by  agreement,  and 
retreated  by  a  safe-conduct  which  I  gave  them  :  for  I 
was  then  Lieutenant  to  the  King,  and  thus  in  command 
of  the  army.  We  thought  they  had  retired,  when  a  man 
of  La  Hire’s  company  told  us  they  were  marching  upon 
us,  and  that  in  a  moment  we  should  have  them  before 
us,  to  the  number  of  a  thousand  men-at-arms.  Jeanne 
asked  what  this  messenger  had  stated  ;  and  when  she 
knew  what  was  going  on  she  said  to  the  Lord  Constable,2 
“  Ah  !  fair  Constable,  you  have  not  come  by  my  will,  but 
now  you  are  here  you  are  welcome.”  Many  were  in  fear 
and  said  it  would  be  well  to  await  the  arrival  of  the 
cavalry.  “In  God’s  Name!”  exclaimed  Jeanne,  “we 
must  fight  them  at  once  :  even  if  they  were  hanging 
from  the  clouds  we  should  have  them,  because  God  has 
sent  us  to  chastise  them.”  She  assured  us  she  was 


1  John  Talbot,  afterwards  Earl  of  Shrewsbury.  He  was  exchanged  for 
Ambroise  de  Loré  and  killed  while  attempting  the  relief  of  Châtillon,  then 
besieged  by  Dunois. 

2  Arthur,  Count  de  Richemont,  Constable  of  France,  brother  of  the  Duke 
of  Britanny.  He  was  one  of  the  Princes  of  the  Blood  taken  at  Agincourt, 
but  was  released  on  parole  ;  and  Henry  V.  dying  soon  after,  he  claimed  his 
freedom,  saying  he  had  given  his  word  to  the  King  alone.  He  married  a 
sister  of  the  Duke  of  Burgundy  and  widow  of  the  late  Dauphin.  Although 
friendly  to  the  French  cause,  he  was  distrusted  by  Charles,  and,  at  this 
time,  was  in  disgrace.  He  was  uncle  to  the  Duke  d’Alençon,  his  sister 
Mary  having  married  the  preceding  Duke.  He  succeeded  to  the  Duchy 
of  Britanny  in  1453,  but  died  childless. 


28o 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


certain  of  obtaining  the  victory,  saying  in  French  :  “  The 
gentle  King  shall  have  to-day  the  greatest  victory  he 
has  ever  had.  My  Counsel  has  told  me  they  are  all 
ours.’’  Without  great  difficulty  the  English  were  beaten 
and  slain,  and  Talbot  made  prisoner.  There  was  a 
great  slaughter.  Then  the  army  went  to  Patay,  where 
Talbot  was  brought  before  me  and  the  Constable  in 
the  presence  of  Jeanne.  Ï  said  to  Talbot  that  in  the 
morning  I  had  never  expected  what  had  happened.  “  It 
is  the  fortune  of  war,” 1  he  replied.  Afterwards  we 
returned  to  the  King,  and  it  was  decided  to  direct  our 
way  towards  Rheims  for  his  coronation  and  consecration. 

Many  times  in  my  presence  Jeanne  told  the  King  she 
would  last  but  one  year  and  no  more  ;  and  that  he 
should  consider  how  best  to  employ  this  year.  She  had, 
she  said,  four  duties  to  accomplish  :  to  beat  the  English  ; 
to  have  the  King  crowned  and  consecrated  at  Rheims  ; 
to  deliver  the  Duke  d’Orléans  from  the  hands  of  the 
English  ; 2  and  to  raise  the  siege  of  Orleans. 

Jeanne  was  a  chaste  maiden  ;  she  hated  the  women 
who  follow  in  the  train  of  armies.  I  saw  her  one  day 
at  Saint  Denis  on  the  return  from  the  coronation, 
pursuing  one  of  them  sword  in  hand  :  her  sword  was 
broken  on  this  occasion.  She  was  very  vexed  if  she 
heard  any  of  the  soldiers  swear.  She  reproved  me  much 
and  strongly  when  I  sometimes  swore  ;  and  when  I  saw 
her  I  refrained  from  swearing. 

So  far  as  I  could  judge,  I  always  held  her  for  an 
excellent  Catholic,  and  a  modest  woman  :  she  com¬ 
municated  often,  and,  at  sight  of  the  Body  of  Christ, 

1  It  was  after  this  battle  of  Patay  that  Sir  John  Fastolf,  one  of  the  English 
captains,  was  deprived  of  the  Garter,  for  his  conduct  in  retreating  before  the 
French  army. 

2  Louis,  Duke  d’Orléans,  taken  prisoner  at  Agincourt,  in  1415,  was 
imprisoned  in  England  until  the  year  1440,  when  he  was  ransomed  at  the 
price  of  54,000  nobles  (about  ,£36,000),  the  negotiations  being  carried  out  on 
the  English  side  by  Cauchon,  Bishop  of  Beauvais. 


THE  COUNT  DE  RICHEMONT 
Constable  of  France. 


DEPOSITIONS  IN  PARIS:  1455-6  281 

shed  many  tears.  In  all  she  did,  except  in  affairs  of 
war,  she  was  a  very  simple  young  girl  ;  but  for  warlike 
things — bearing  the  lance,  assembling  an  army,  ordering 
military  operations,  directing  artillery — she  was  most 
skilful.  Every  one  wondered  that  she  could  act  with  as 
much  wisdom  and  foresight  as  a  captain  who  had  fought 
for  twenty  or  thirty  years.  It  was  above  all  in  making 
use  of  artillery  that  she  was  so  wonderful. 


Brother  Jean  Pasquerel.1 

The  first  time  I  heard  of  Jeanne,  and  that  she  had 
come  to  find  the  King,  I  was  at  Anche,2  in  which  town 
was  her  mother  3  and  some  of  those  who  had  accompanied 
her  thither.  One  day,  they  invited  me  to  go  with  them 
and  see  her,  and  told  me  they  would  not  leave  me  till  I 
had  seen  her.  I  came  then  with  them  to  Chinon  ;  then 
to  Tours,  in  which  town  I  was  at  that  time  Reader  in  a 
Convent  ;  and  there  we  found  her  lodging  in  the  house 
of  a  citizen  named  Jean  Dupuy,4  a  burgher  of  Tours. 
My  companions  addressed  Jeanne  in  these  terms: 
“Jeanne,  we  bring  you  this  good  father;  when  you 
know  him  you  will  love  him  much.”  “  I  am  very  glad 
to  see  you,”  she  said  to  me  ;  “  I  have  already  heard  of 
you  ;  I  should  like  to-morrow  to  confess  myself  to  you.” 

1  Of  the  Order  of  Hermit  Friars  of  Saint  Augustin,  living  at  their  Convent 
in  Tours  in  1429,  and  at  Bayeux  in  1456. 

2  There  is  some  doubt  as  to  the  identity  of  this  town.  The  text  gives 
“  Aniciensis,”  which  would  refer  to  Puy-en-Valais  ;  but  this,  Quicherat 
says,  is  unlikely,  owing  to  the  distance,  and  proposes  to  substitute 
“Anceinsi,”  z.e.,  Anche.  Fabre,  following  Simon  de  Lune,  is  in  favour  of 
the  former  reading,  as  the  town  was  one  noted  for  pilgrimages  ;  and,  in  the 
Lent  of  1429,  there  was  an  unusual  number  of  pilgrims,  in  honour  of  the 
special  feast  of  La  Vierge  Noire  de  Puy,  which,  in  that  year,  fell  on  Good 
Friday.  This  fact  might  account  for  the  presence  of  Jeanne’s  mother 
at  Puy,  and  of  the  men-at-arms,  who  had  escorted  the  Maid  to  Chinon. 

s  Quicherat  prefers  to  read,  “brother.” 

4  Probably  the  husband  of  the  woman  named  Lapau,  mentioned  by  Louis 
de  Contes. 


282 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


The  next  day,  indeed,  I  heard  her  in  confession,  and 
recited  Mass  before  her.  From  that  day  onward,  I 
always  followed  her  and  was  always  with  her  as  her 
Chaplain,  until  Compiègne,  where  she  was  taken 
prisoner. 

On  her  arrival  at  Chinon,  I  heard  that  she  had  been 
visited  on  two  occasions  by  women.  The  Lady  de  Gau- 
court  and  the  Lady  de  Trêves,  it  is  said,  were  those 
who  visited  her. 

Afterwards,  she  was  taken  to  Poitiers,  to  be  examined 
there  by  the  Clergy  of  that  University  as  to  what  should 
be  done  with  regard  to  her.  Maître  Jourdin  Morin, 
Maître  Pierre  de  Versailles,  since  deceased  as  Bishop  of 
Meaux,  and  many  others,  after  having  questioned  her, 
came  to  the  conclusion  that,  in  view  of  the  necessity 
which  weighed  upon  the  Kingdom,  the  King  might  make 
use  of  her  aid,  and  that  they  had  found  nothing  in  her 
contrary  to  the  Catholic  Faith.  She  then  returned  to 
Chinon,  and  thought  she  would  be  allowed  to  speak  with 
the  King  ;  but  it  was  not  yet  to  be.  At  last,  by  the 
advice  of  the  Council,  she  was  permitted  an  interview 
with  the  King.  The  day  on  which  this  interview  was  to 
take  place,  just  as  she  entered  the  Castle,  a  man,  mounted 
on  horseback,  said,  “  Is  that  the  Maid  ?  ”  He  insulted 
her,  and  swore  with  horrid  blasphemy.  “  Oh  !  in  God’s 
Name,”  she  said  to  him,  “  dost  thou  blaspheme  God, 
thou  who  art  so  near  thy  death  !  ”  And,  an  hour  after, 
this  man  fell  into  the  water  and  was  drowned.  I  report 
this  fact  as  I  gathered  it  from  Jeanne  and  from  many 
others,  who  said  they  had  been  witnesses  of  it. 

It  was  the  Sieur  Count  de  Vendôme  who  brought  her 
into  the  King’s  apartment.  When  he  perceived  her,  the 
King  asked  her  her  name.  “  Gentle  Dauphin,”  she 
replied,  “  I  am  called  Jeanne  the  Maid  ;  and  the  King  of 
Heaven  sends  you  word  by  me  that  you  will  be  conse¬ 
crated  and  crowned  at  Rheims,  and  that  you  will  be  the 


CHARLES  VII. 
(Gallery  of  the  Ltuvre.) 


DEPOSITIONS  IN  PARIS  :  1455-6  283 

lieutenant  of  the  King  of  Heaven,  who  is  King  of 
France.”  After  the  King  had  asked  her  a  number  of 
questions,  she  said  to  him,  “  On  the  part  of  My  Lord,  I 
tell  thee  thou  art  true  heir  of  France  and  son  of  the 
King1  ;  and  He  sends  me  to  lead  thee  to  Rheims  to 
the  end  thou  mayst  receive  thy  crowning  and  thy  con¬ 
secration,  if  thou  wilt.”  At  the  close  of  this  interview, 
the  King  said  that  Jeanne  had  confided  to  him  secrets 
which  were  not  known  and  could  not  be  known  except  by 
God,  which  gave  him  great  confidence  in  her.  All  this 
I  heard  from  Jeanne,  but  without  having  been  witness 
of  it. 

She  told  me  she  was  not  pleased  at  so  many  ex¬ 
aminations  ;  that  they  prevented  her  carrying  out  the 
work  for  which  she  was  sent,  and  that  it  was  quite  time 
for  her  to  act.  She  told  me  she  had  asked  from  the 
Messengers  of  her  Lord — that  is  to  say,  God — who 
appeared  to  her,  what  she  ought  to  do  ;  and  they 
had  told  her  to  take  the  banner  of  her  Lord.  It  was 
for  this  she  had  her  banner  made,  on  which  was 
painted  the  image  of  Our  Saviour  seated  in  judgment 
on  the  clouds  of  Heaven,  with  an  Angel  holding  in 
his  hand  a  fleur-de-lys  which  Christ  was  blessing.  I 
was  at  Tours  with  her  when  this  banner  was  painted.2 

A  short  time  after  Jeanne  departed  with  the  army  to 
the  succour  of  the  town  of  Orleans,  which  was  then 
besieged  ;  I  went  with  her,  and  did  not  leave  her  until 
the  day  when  she  was  taken  at  Compïègne.  I  acted  as 
her  Chaplain,  confessed  her,  and  sang  Mass  for  her. 
She  was,  indeed,  very  pious  towards  God  and  the  Blessed 
Mary,  confessing  nearly  every  day  and  communicating 

1  Doubt  had  been  thrown  on  the  fact  here  stated,  since  Charles  VII.’s 
mother,  Queen  Isabeau,  had  denied  her  son’s  legitimacy. 

2  The  account  for  this  banner  appears  in  the  13th  Compte  of  Maître 
Hemon  Raguier,  Treasurer  of  War:  25  liv.  tour,  were  paid  to  “  Hauves 
Poulnois,  painter,  living  at  Tours,  for  painting  and  procuring  materials  for  a 
great  standard,  and  a  small  one  for  the  Maid.” 


-  84 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


frequently.  When  she  was  in  a  neighbourhood  where 
there  was  a  Convent  of  Mendicant  Friars,  she  told  me 
to  remind  her  of  the  day  when  the  children  of  the  poor 
received  the  Eucharist,  so  that  she  might  receive  it 
with  them  ;  and  this  she  did  often  :  when  she  confessed 
herself  she  wept. 

When  Jeanne  left  Tours  to  go  to  Orleans,  she  prayed 
me  not  to  forsake  her,  and  to  remain  always  with  her 
as  her  Confessor  ;  this  I  promised  to  do.  We  were  at 
Blois  about  two  or  three  days,  waiting  for  the  supplies 
with  which  the  boats  were  to  be  loaded.  At  Blois  she 
told  me  to  have  a  banner  made,  round  which  the  Priests 
might  assemble,  and  to  have  painted  thereon  the  Image 
of  Our  Saviour  crucified.  I  had  it  done,  as  she  required 
of  me.  As  soon  as  this  banner  was  made,  Jeanne,  twice 
a  day,  morning  and  evening,  charged  me  to  assemble  the 
Priests  around  this  banner  :  they  then  sang  anthems  and 
hymns  to  the  Blessed  Mary.  Jeanne  was  with  them, 
permitting  only  the  soldiers  who  had  that  day  confessed 
themselves  to  join  her  ;  she  told  her  people  to  make 
confession,  if  they  wished  to  come  to  this  assemblage. 
There  were  Priests  always  ready  to  confess  those  in  the 
army  who  wished  to  apply  to  them. 

On  leaving  Blois  to  march  to  Orleans,  Jeanne  made 
all  the  Priests  assemble  round  this  banner  ;  and  in  this 
wise  they  marched  at  the  head  of  the  army.  They 
departed,  thus  assembled,  from  the  side  of  the  Sologne, 
singing  the  “  Veni  Creator  Spiritus  ”  and  many  other 
anthems.  On  that  and  the  two  following  days,  we  slept 
in  the  fields.  On  the  third  day,  we  arrived  at  Orleans, 
where  the  English  held  their  siege  right  up  to  the  bank 
of  the  Loire  :  we  approached  so  close  to  them  that 
French  and  English  could  almost  touch  one  another. 
The  French  had  with  them  a  convoy  of  supplies  ;  but 
the  water  was  so  shallow  that  the  boats  could  not 
move  up-stream,  nor  could  they  land  where  the  English 


Reproduced  from  an  engraving  of  \the  XVII tk  Century. 


DEPOSITIONS  IN  PARIS:  1455-6 


285 


were.  Suddenly  the  waters  rose,  and  the  boats  were 
then  able  to  land  on  the  shore  where  the  [French] 
army  was.  Jeanne  entered  the  boats,  with  some  of  her 
followers,  and  thus  came  to  Orleans.  As  for  myself  I 
returned  to  Blois,  by  Jeanne’s  command,  with  the  Priests 
and  the  banner.  Then,  some  days  after,  accompanied 
by  the  whole  army,  I  came  to  Orleans  by  way  of  the 
Beauce — always  with  this  same  banner  surrounded  by 
Priests — meeting  no  obstacle.  When  Jeanne  knew  of 
our  approach,  she  came  to  meet  us  ;  and  together  we 
entered  Orleans  without  difficulty,  bringing  in  the  pro¬ 
visions  in  sight  of  the  English.  This  was  a  marvellous 
thing  ;  for  the  English  were  in  great  number  and  strength, 
all  prepared  for  fight.  They  had  opposite  them  our 
army,  very  inferior  to  theirs  :  they  saw  us  ;  they  heard 
our  Priests  singing  ;  I  was  in  the  midst  of  the  Priests 
bearing  the  banner.  The  English  remained  immovable, 
never  attempting  to  attack  either  the  Priests  or  the  army 
which  followed  them. 

As  soon  as  we  entered  Orleans,  the  French  sallied 
from  the  town  at  Jeanne’s  urgent  entreaties,  and  went  to 
attack  the  English,  who  were  shut  up  in  the  Fort  of  Saint 
Loup.  After  dinner  the  other  Priests  went  with  me  to 
seek  Jeanne  at  her  residence.  When  we  arrived,  we 
heard  her  calling  out  :  “  Where  are  those  who  should 
arm  me  ?  The  blood  of  our  people  is  falling  to  the 
ground  !  ”  And,  so  soon  as  she  was  armed,  she  sallied 
from  the  town  and  made  for  the  Fort  of  Saint  Loup, 
where  the  attack  was  taking  place.  On  the  road  she 
met  many  wounded  soldiers  ;  the  sight  of  them  distressed 
her  much.  She  went  to  the  assault,  and  did  so  well,  that 
by  force  and  violence  the  fort  was  at  last  taken,  and  all 
the  English  who  were  there  were  taken  prisoners.  I 
remember  that  this  took  place  on  the  Eve  of  the  Ascension 
of  Our  Saviour. 

When  the  Fort  of  Saint  Loup  was  taken,  the  English 


286 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


died  there  in  great  numbers.  Jeanne  was  much  afflicted 
when  she  heard  that  they  had  died  without  confession, 
and  pitied  them  much.  On  the  spot  she  made  her  con¬ 
fession.  She  ordered  me  to  invite  the  whole  army  to 
do  likewise,  and  to  give  thanks  to  God  for  the  victory 
just  gained.  Otherwise,  she  said,  she  would  help 
them  no  more,  but  would  abandon  them.  On  this  day, 
the  Eve  of  the  Ascension,  she  predicted  that  within  five 
days  the  siege  would  be  raised,  and  that  not  a  single 
Englishman  would  be  left  within  the  walls  of  Orleans.1 
And  so  it  was  :  for  on  this  Wednesday,  as  I  have  already 
said,  the  Fort  of  Saint  Loup  was  taken,  which  formerly 
had  been  a  convent.2  More  than  one  hundred  men 
of  distinction  were  found  there,  all  well  armed,  not 
one  escaping.  In  the  evening,  when  Jeanne  returned 
to  her  lodging,  she  told  me  that  on  the  following 
day,  the  Ascension  of  Our  Saviour,  she  would  not 
fight,  nor  even  put  on  her  armour  ;  and  that  she 
wished,  out  of  respect  for  the  Festival,  to  confess  and 
to  receive  the  Sacrament  of  the  Eucharist.  And  this 
was  done. 

On  Ascension  Day,  she  ordered  that  no  one  should  go 
out  of  the  town  to  the  attack  on  the  same  day  without 
first  making  confession,  and  forbade  women  of  bad 
reputation  to  follow  her,  lest,  on  account  of  sin,  God 
should  cause  us  to  lose  the  battle.  All  these  orders  were 
carried  out.  It  was  on  Ascension  Day  that  she  wrote  to 
the  English,  entrenched  in  their  forts,  a  letter  thus 
couched  : 

“  You,  men  of  England,  who  have  no  right  in  this 
kingdom  of  France,  the  King  of  Heaven  orders  and 
commands  you  by  me,  Jeanne  the  Maid,  that  you  quit 
your  strong  places,  and  return  to  your  own  country  ;  if 
you  do  not  I  will  cause  you  such  an  overthrow  as  shall 

1  The  siege  was  raised  on  the  8th  of  May. 

2  Established  on  the  site  of  a  convent  in  the  previous  December. 


v 


DEPOSITIONS  IN  PARIS:  1455-6  287 

be  remembered  for  all  time.  I  write  to  you  for  the 
third  1  and  last  time,  and  shall  write  to  you  no  more. 

Signed  thus — 

“  Jhésus  Maria ,  Jehanne  la  Pucelle.” 

And  lower  : 

“  I  would  have  sent  you  this  letter  in  a  more  suitable 
manner,  but  you  keep  back  my  heralds  :  you  have  kept 
my  herald  Guyenne  ;  I  pray  you  to  send  him  back,  and  I 
will  send  you  some  of  your  people  who  have  been  taken 
at  the  Fort  of  Saint  Loup, — for  all  were  not  killed 
there.” 

As  soon  as  this  letter  was  written,  Jeanne  took  an 
arrow,  on  the  point  of  which  she  fastened  this  letter  with 
a  thread,  and  ordered  an  archer  to  shoot  this  arrow  to¬ 
wards  the  English,  crying  out,  “  Read!  here  is  news  !” 
The  English  received  the  arrow  with  this  letter,  which 
they  read.  After  having  read  it  they  began  to  cry  out 
with  all  their  power:  “  It  is  news  sent  to  us  from  the 
.  .  .  of  the  Armagnacs  !  ”  At  these  words  Jeanne  began 
to  cry,  shedding  many  tears,  and  prayed  the  God  of 
Heaven  to  come  to  her  aid.  Soon  she  appeared  to  be 
consoled,  having  had,  as  she  said,  news  from  her  Lord. 
In  the  evening  after  supper,  she  ordered  me  to  rise 
earlier  than  I  had  done  on  Ascension  Day,  because  she 
wished  to  confess  very  early  in  the  morning  :  and  this 
she  did. 

The  next  day,  Friday,  I  rose  very  early  ;  confessed  her, 
and  sang  Mass  before  her  and  all  her  followers  :  she  then 
started  with  them  at  once  for  the  attack,  which  lasted 
from  morning  to  evening.  On  this  day  the  Fort  of  the 
Augustins  was  taken,  after  a  great  assault.  Jeanne,  who 
was  accustomed  to  fast  every  Friday,  could  not  do  so  on 
that  day  because  she  was  too  troubled,  and  she  took 

1  The  first  letter  was  sent  on  March  22nd,  1429  :  of  the  second  nothing  is 
known. 


288 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


supper.  After  this  supper  there  came  to  her  a  noble 
and  valiant  captain,  whose  name  I  do  not  remember. 
He  told  her  that  all  the  captains  were  assembled  in 
Council  ;  that  they  had  taken  into  consideration  the  small 
number  of  their  forces  in  comparison  with  the  large 
forces  of  the  English,  and  the  abundant  grace  which  God 
had  granted  them  in  the  success  already  obtained  : 
“  The  town  is  full  of  supplies  ;  we  could  keep  it  well 
while  we  await  fresh  succour,  which  the  King  could  send 
us  ;  it  does  not  seem,”  he  ended  by  saying,  “expedient 
to  the  Council  that  the  army  should  go  forth  to-morrow.” 
“  You  have  been  to  your  Counsel,”  Jeanne  answered 
him,  “  and  I  have  been  to  mine  ;  and  believe  me  the 
Counsel  of  God  will  be  accomplished  and  will  succeed  ; 
yours  on  the  contrary  will  perish.”  And  addressing  her¬ 
self  to  me  who  was  near  her  :  “  Rise  to-morrow  morning 
even  earlier  than  you  did  to-day  ;  do  your  best  ;  keep 
always  near  me  ;  for  to-morrow  I  shall  have  yet  more  to 
do,  and  much  greater  things  ;  to-morrow  blood  shall  flow 
from  my  body,  above  the  breast.” 

On  the  Saturday,  therefore,  very  early  in  the  morning 
I  rose  and  celebrated  Mass  ;  then  Jeanne  went  to  the 
attack  of  the  Bridge  Fort,  in  which  was  the  Englishman, 
Clasdas.1  The  attack  lasted  from  morning  to  sunset 
without  interruption.  At  this  assault,  after  dinner, 
Jeanne,  as  she  had  predicted,  was  struck  by  an  arrow 
above  the  breast.  When  she  felt  herself  wounded,  she 
was  afraid,  and  wept  ;  but  she  was  soon  comforted, 
as  she  said.  Some  of  the  soldiers  seeing  her  severely 
wounded  wished  to  “  charm  ”  her  ;  but  she  would  not,  say¬ 
ing  :  “  I  would  rather  die  than  do  a  thing  which  I  know 
to  be  a  sin  ;  I  know  well  that  I  must  die  one  day,  but  I 
know  not  when,  nor  in  what  manner,  nor  on  what  day  ; 
if  my  wound  may  be  healed  without  sin,  I  shall  be  glad 
enough  to  be  cured.”  Oil  of  olive  and  lard  were  ap- 

1  i.e .,  Glasdale. 


Hlfrodmtd  by  kind  fir  million  </  M  //trim  ion, 
I'iu-Pnniinl  of  lb*  Artkackfinl  Soiiety  rf  Or/tami 


THE  BRIDGE  SHORTLY  BEFORE  ITS  DEMOLITION  IN  1760. 


289 


DEPOSITIONS  IN  PARIS:  1455-6 

plied  to  the  wound.  After  the  dressing,  she  confessed 
herself  to  me,  weeping  and  lamenting.  Then  she  returned 
in  all  haste  to  the  attack,  crying  :  “  Clasdas  !  Clasdas  ! 
yield  thee,  yield  thee  to  the  King  of  Heaven  !  Thou 
hast  called  me.  .  .  I  have  a  great  pity  for  thy  soul,  and 
for  thy  people.”  At  this  moment  Clasdas,  fully  armed 
from  head  to  foot,  fell  into  the  Loire,  where  he  was 
drowned.  Jeanne,  moved  to  pity  at  this  sight,  began  to 
weep  for  the  soul  of  Clasdas,  and  for  all  the  others  who, 
in  great  number,  were  drowned,  at  the  same  time  as  he. 
On  this  day,  all  the  English  who  were  on  the  other  side 
of  the  bridge  were  taken  and  killed.  The  next  day — 
which  was  a  Sunday — before  sunrise  all  the  English  who 
were  still  in  the  plains  around  Orleans  grouped  them¬ 
selves  together,  and  came  to  the  foot  of  the  trenches  of 
the  town.  From  thence  they  departed  for  Meung-sur- 
Loire,  where  they  remained  for  several  days.  On  this 
Sunday  1  there  was  in  Orleans  a  solemn  procession  and  a 
sermon.  It  was  then  decided  to  go  and  seek  the  King  ; 
and  Jeanne  went  thither.  The  English  entrenched 
themselves  in  Jargeau,  which  was  soon  taken  by  as¬ 
sault.  Finally,  they  were  entirely  defeated  at  Patay. 

I  often  heard  her  say  of  her  work  that  it  was  her 
mission  ;  and  when  people  said  to  her  :  “  Never  have 
such  things  been  seen  as  these  deeds  of  yours.  In  no 
book  can  one  read  of  such  things,”  she  answered  :  “  My 
Lord  has  a  book  in  which  no  Clerk  has  ever  read,  how 
perfect  soever  he  may  be  in  clerkship  !  ” 

In  war  and  in  camp,  when  there  was  not  enough 
provision,  she  would  never  eat  stolen  food.  I  firmly 
believe  she  was  sent  from  God  on  account  of  her  good 
works,  and  her  many  virtues  ;  even  on  the  poor  English 

1  8th  May.  The  commemoration  of  the  relief  of  Orleans  was  made  a 
national  festival  by  Louis  XI.  and  confirmed  by  Richelieu.  This  day  is  still 
kept  in  the  town  with  great  rejoicings  and  religious  processions  :  it  has  been 
celebrated,  excepting  during  the  Revolution,  ever  since  the  relief  of  the  city. 

U 


290 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


soldiers  she  had  so  much  compassion  that,  when  she  saw 
them  dying  or  wounded,  she  had  them  confessed.  So 
much  did  she  fear  God,  that  for  nothing  in  the  world 
would  she  displease  Him.  When  she  was  wounded  in 
the  shoulder  by  an  arrow — which  went  through  from  one 
side  to  the  other — some  spoke  of  “charming”  her, 
promising  in  this  manner  to  cure  her  on  the  spot.  She 
replied  that  it  would  be  a  sin,  and  that  she  would  rather 
die  than  offend  God  by  such  enchantments. 

I  marvel  much  that  such  great  Clerks  as  those  who 
caused  her  death  at  Rouen  should  have  dared  such  a  crime 
as  to  put  to  death  so  poor  and  simple  a  Christian,  cruelly 
and  without  cause — sufficient  at  least  for  [the  penalty 
of]  death  :  they  might  have  kept  her  in  prison  or  else¬ 
where  ;  but  she  had  so  displeased  them  that  they  were 
her  mortal  enemies  ;  and  thus,  it  seems,  they  assumed 
the  responsibility  of  an  unjust  court.  Her  actions  and 
her  deeds  are  all  perfectly  known  to  our  Lord  the  King 
and  to  the  Duke  d’Alençon,  who  knew  certain  secrets 
which  they  might  declare  if  they  would. 

As  for  me  I  know  no  more  than  what  I  have  said, 
unless  it  be  that  many  times  Jeanne  expressed  to  me  a 
desire  that,  if  she  were  to  die,  the  King  would  build  a 
Chapel,  where  the  souls  of  those  who  had  died  in  defence 
of  the  kingdom  might  be  prayed  for. 


Maître  Jean  de  Lenozolles,  Priest ,  of  the  Order  of 
St.  Pierre  Celestin. 

At  the  time  when  Jeanne  was  at  Rouen,  I  was  in  the 
service  of  Maître  Guillaume  Érard,  with  whom  I  came 
from  Burgundy.  After  we  had  arrived,  I  heard  talk  of 
this  Trial  ;  but  of  what  was  done  therein  I  know  nothing, 
for  I  left  Rouen  and  went  to  Caen,  and  stayed  there 
until  the  feast  of  Pentecost  ;  at  this  feast  I  returned  to 
Rouen  to  meet  my  master,  who  told  me  that  he  had  a 


291 


DEPOSITIONS  IN  PARIS:  1455-6 

heavy  task — to  preach  a  sermon  for  this  Jeanne,  which 
much  displeased  him.  He  said  he  would  he  were  in 
Flanders  :  this  business  disturbed  him  much. 

I  saw  Jeanne  at  the  second  sermon  ;  and  in  the 
morning  before  the  sermon  I  saw  the  Body  of  Christ 
carried  to  the  said  Jeanne  with  much  solemnity,  and  the 
singing  of  Litanies  and  intercession  “  Orate  pro  eâf  and 
with  a  great  multitude  of  candles  ;  but  who  decided  or 
ordered  this,  I  know  not.  I  was  not  present  at  the 
reception,  but  I  afterwards  heard  it  said  that  she 
received  It  with  great  devotion  and  abundance  of  tears. 


Simon  Charles,  President  of  the  Council. 

The  year  in  which  Jeanne  came  to  seek  the  King 
was  the  very  year  in  which  the  King  sent  me  as 
ambassador  to  Venice.  I  returned  about  the  month  of 
March,  at  which  time  I  heard  from  Jean  de  Metz,  who 
had  conducted  her,  that  she  had  visited  the  King. 
When  Jeanne  came  to  Chinon,  there  was  discussion  in 
the  Council  as  to  whether  the  King  should  hear  her  or 
not.  And  first  she  was  questioned  as  to  why  and  to 
what  end  she  had  come  ;  and  she  began  by  replying 
that  she  would  answer  nothing  except  to  the  King. 
She  was  compelled,  by  order  of  the  King,  to  state  the 
cause  of  her  mission. 

She  said  she  had  two  commands  from  the  King  of 
Heaven  :  the  one  to  raise  the  siege  of  Orleans,  the  other 
to  conduct  the  King  to  Rheims  for  his  coronation  and 
anointing. 

Hearing  this,  some  of  the  King’s  Council  said  that 
the  King  ought  not  to  put  faith  in  this  Jeanne  ;  others 
said  that,  as  she  declared  she  was  sent  from  God  and 
commanded  to  speak  to  the  King,  the  King  ought  at 
least  to  hear  her.  The  King  desired  that  she  should 
first  be  examined  by  the  Clergy  and  Ecclesiastics, 

u  2 


292 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


and  this  was  done  ;  after  many  difficulties  it  was 
arranged  that  the  King  should  hear  her.  I  have  heard 
the  Seigneur  de  Gaucourt  relate  that,  when  she  was  at 
Orleans,  the  King’s  people  had  decided  it  was  not 

well  to  make  the  attack.  This  happened  on  the  day 

when  the  Fort  of  the  Augustins  was  taken  and  he, 
de  Gaucourt,  had  been  commissioned  to  guard  the 
gates  of  the  town  that  none  should  go  out.  Jeanne, 
discontented  with  the  orders  of  the  generals,  was  of 
opinion  that  the  King’s  soldiers  with  the  people  of  the 
town  should  go  out  and  attack  the  fort  ;  and  many 
of  the  soldiers  and  people  of  the  city  agreed  with 
her.  Jeanne  told  de  Gaucourt  that  he  was  a  bad 

man,  saying  to  him  :  “  Whether  you  will  or  no,  the 

soldiers  shall  come  ;  and  they  will  succeed  this  time 
as  they  have  succeeded  before.”  And,  against  the 
will  of  the  said  Lord  de  Gaucourt,  the  soldiers  left 
the  city  and  marched  to  the  assault  of  the  bastille  of 
the  Augustins,  which  was  taken  by  force.  My  Lord  de 
Gaucourt  added  that  he  had  come  that  day  into  great 
peril. 

The  King  made  a  treaty  with  the  people  of  Troyes, 
and  entered  the  town  of  Troyes  in  great  array,  Jeanne 
carrying  her  banner  by  his  side.  Shortly  after,  the 
King  left  Troyes  and  went  with  his  army  to  Chalons, 
and  thence  to  Rheims.  When  the  King  feared  to  find 
resistance  at  Rheims,  Jeanne  said  to  him  :  “  Have  no 
fear  !  for  the  burghers  of  the  city  will  come  out  to  meet 
you  ;  ”  and  she  said  that,  before  he  got  near  the  city  of 
Rheims,  the  burgesses  would  meet  him.  The  King 
feared  their  resistance  because  he  had  no  artillery  or 
engines  for  carrying  on  a  siege,  in  case  they  should 
prove  rebellious.  Jeanne  told  him  that  he  must 
go  forward  boldly  and  fear  nothing,  for  if  he  would 
go  forward  like  a  man  he  would  soon  obtain  all  his 
kingdom. 


DEPOSITIONS  IN  PARIS:  1455-6  293 

Thibauld  d’Armagnac,  Knight,  Seigneur  de  Termes , 
bailiff  of  Chartres. 

I  knew  nothing  of  Jeanne  until  she  came  to  Orleans 
to  raise  the  siege  made  by  the  English,  in  the  defence 
of  which  town  I  was  in  the  company  of  my  lord  of 
Dunois. 

I  afterwards  saw  her  at  the  assault  of  the  Forts  of 
Saint  Loup,  the  Augustins,  Saint-Jean-le-Blanc,  and  at 
the  Bridge.  In  all  these  assaults  she  was  so  valorous 
and  comported  herself  in  such  manner  as  would  not 
have  been  possible  to  any  man,  however  well  versed  in 
war  ;  and  all  the  captains  marvelled  at  her  valour  and 
activity  and  at  her  endurance. 

I  believe  that  she  was  good  and  worthy,  and  that 
the  things  she  did  were  divine  rather  than  human. 
She  often  reproved  the  vices  of  the  soldiers  ;  and  I  heard 
from  a  certain  Maître  Robert  Baignart,  S.T.P.,  of  the 
Order  of  Saint  Dominic,  who  often  heard  her  in  confes¬ 
sion,  that  Jeanne  was  a  godly  woman,  that  all  she  did 
came  from  God,  that  she  had  a  good  soul  and  tender 
conscience. 

After  the  raising  of  the  siege  of  Orleans,  I  with  many 
others  of  the  army  went  with  Jeanne  to  Beaugency, 
where  the  English  were.  The  day  that  the  English  lost 
the  battle  of  Patay,  I  and  the  late  La  Hire,  knowing 
that  the  English  were  assembled  and  prepared  for  battle, 
told  Jeanne  that  the  English  were  coming  and  were 
all  ready  to  fight.  She  replied,  speaking  to  the  captains: 
“  Attack  them  boldly,  and  they  will  fly  ;  nor  will  they 
long  withstand  us.”  At  these  words,  the  captains 
prepared  to  attack  :  and  the  English  were  overthrown 
and  fled.  Jeanne  had  predicted  to  the  French  that  few 
or  none  of  them  should  be  slain  or  suffer  loss  :  which 
also  befell,  for  of  all  our  men  there  perished  but  one 
gentleman  of  my  company. 


294 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


Apart  from  affairs  of  war,  she  was  simple  and 
innocent  ;  but  in  the  conduct  and  disposition  of  troops 
and  in  actual  warfare,  in  the  ordering  of  battle  and  in 
animating  the  soldiers,  she  behaved  as  the  most  skilled 
captain  in  the  world  who  all  his  life  had  been  trained  in 
the  art  of  war. 

Raimond,  Sieur  de  Macy,  Knight. 

I  knew  nothing  of  Jeanne  until  I  saw  her  in  prison, 
in  the  Castle  of  Beaurevoir,  where  she  was  detained  for 
and  in  the  name  of  the  Count  de  Ligny  ;  then  I  saw  her 
often  and  many  times  talked  with  her  :  she  would  allow 
no  familiarity,  but  repelled  such  with  all  her  power  ;  she 
was  indeed  of  modest  bearing,  both  in  words  and  deeds. 

She  was  taken  to  the  Castle  of  Rouen,  where  she  was 
placed  in  a  prison  facing  the  fields.  Whilst  she  was 
there,  in  this  prison,  came  the  Count  de  Ligny,  on  whom 
I  was  in  attendance.  The  Count  de  Ligny  desired  to 
see  Jeanne,  and  came  to  visit  her,  in  company  of 
the  Earls  of  Warwick  and  Stafford,  the  present  Chan¬ 
cellor  of  England,  then  Bishop  of  Thérouanne,  the 
brother1  of  the  Count  de  Ligny,  and  myself.  He  said  to 
her  :  “  Jeanne,  I  have  come  to  ransom  you,  if  you  will 
promise  never  again  to  bear  arms  against  us.”  She 
answered  :  “  In  God’s  Name,  you  mock  me,  for  I  know 
well  that  you  have  neither  the  will  nor  the  power  ;  ”  this 
she  repeated  often,  because  the  Count  persisted  in  his 
statement.  “  I  know  well,”  she  ended  by  saying,  “  that 
the  English  will  do  me  to  death,  thinking  after  my  death 
to  gain  the  kingdom  of  France  ;  but  if  they  were  a 
hundred  thousand  more  ‘  godons  ’ 2  than  they  are  at 
present,  they  would  not  have  the  kingdom.”  Indignant 
at  these  words,  the  Earl  of  Stafford  half  drew  his  dagger 

1  Louis  de  Luxembourg. 

2  “  Godon,”  or  “  goddam,”  a  common  term  for  the  English  in  the  Middle 
Ages  and  to  the  present  day. 


DEPOSITIONS  IN  PARIS:  1455-6  295 

to  kill  her,  but  the  Earl  of  Warwick  withheld  him. 
After  this,  while  I  was  still  at  Rouen,  Jeanne  was  taken 
to  the  Place  St.  Ouen,  where  a  sermon  was  preached  to 
her  by  Maître  Nicolas  Midi,1  who,  amongst  other  things, 
said,  in  my  hearing  :  “  Jeanne,  we  have  great  compassion 
for  thee  ;  it  behoves  thee  to  revoke  what  thou  hast  said, 
or  we  must  give  thee  up  to  the  secular  judges.”  She 
answered,  that  she  had  done  no  evil,  that  she  believed 
in  the  Twelve  Articles  of  the  Faith  and  in  the  Ten 
Commandments  of  the  Decalogue  ;  adding,  that  she 
referred  herself  to  the  Court  of  Rome,  and  that  she 
wished  to  believe  all  things  in  which  Holy  Church 
believed.  Notwithstanding  this,  they  pressed  her  much 
to  recant,  to  which  she  answered  :  “You  take  much 
pains  to  seduce  me  ;  ”  and,  to  escape  danger,  she  said 
at  last  that  she  was  content  to  do  all  they  required. 
Then  a  Secretary  of  the  King  of  England  there  present, 
named  Laurence  Calot,  drew  from  his  pocket  a  little 
written  schedule,  which  he  handed  to  Jeanne  to  sign. 
She  replied  that  she  could  neither  read  nor  write.  Not¬ 
withstanding  this  Laurence  Calot,  the  Secretary,  handed 
Jeanne  the  schedule  and  a  pen  to  sign  it  ;  and  by  way  of 
derision  Jeanne  made  some  sort  of  round  mark.  Then 
Laurence  Calot  took  her  hand  with  the  pen  and  caused 
her  to  make  some  sort  of  signature, — what,  I  cannot 
remember. 

I  believe  her  to  be  in  Paradise. 

Colette,  wife  of  Pierre  Milet. 

I  first  knew  of  Jeanne  when  she  came  to  Orleans  ;  she 
was  lodged  in  the  house  of  one  Jacques  Bouchier,  where 
I  went  to  visit  her.  Jeanne  continually  spoke  of  God, 
saying,  “  My  Lord  hath  sent  me  to  succour  the  good 
town  of  Orleans.”  I  often  saw  her  attend  Mass  with 
great  devotion,  as  a  good  Christian  and  Catholic.  During 
1  An  error  ;  the  first  sermon  was  by  Érard. 


296 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


the  time  she  was  at  Orleans,  for  the  raising  of  the  siege, 
Jeanne  was  sleeping  in  the  house  of  her  host,  Jacques  le 
Bouchier  ;  on  the  Vigil  of  the  Ascension,  she  suddenly- 
awoke,  and,  calling  her  page,  Mugot,1  said  to  him  :  “In 
God’s  Name!  This  is  ill  done.  Why  was  I  not  sooner 
awakened  ?  Our  people  have  much  to  do.”  Then  she 
asked  for  her  armour,  and  armed  herself,  her  page 
bringing  round  her  horse  ;  then,  all  armed,  she 
mounted,  lance  in  rest,  and  began  to  ride  along  the 
main  street  so  rapidly  that  the  stones  struck  fire.  She 
made  straight  for  Saint  Loup  ;  and  gave  order,  by  sound 
of  trumpet,  that  nothing  should  be  taken  from  the  Church. 

On  the  morning  of  the  day  that  the  Fort  of  the  Bridge 
was  taken,  Jeanne  was  still  in  the  house  of  her  host 
when  a  fish  was  brought  to  her  :  on  seeing  it  she  said  to 
her  host,  “Take  care  of  it  till  the  evening,  because  I 
will  bring  you  back  a  ‘  godon  ’  and  I  shall  return  by  the 
bridge.” 

Jeanne  was  very  frugal  in  eating  and  drinking.  There 
was  nothing  but  modesty  in  her  conduct,  in  her  actions, 
and  in  all  her  manner  of  life.  I  believe  firmly  that  her 
deeds  and  actions  were  rather  the  works  of  God  than  of 
man. 

Pierre  Milet,  Clerk  to  the  Electors  of  Paris. 

Soon  after  she  came  to  Orleans,  she  sent  to  the 
English,  who  were  besieging  the  town,  and  summoned 
them  in  a  kind  of  simple  schedule  written  in  her  mother- 
tongue,  which  I  read  myself,  notifying  that  it  was  the 
will  of  God  that  they  should  depart  : 

[“  Messire  vous  mande  que  vous  en  aliez  en  vostre 
pays,  car  c’est  son  plaisir,  ou  sinon  je  vous  feray  ung  tel 
hahay..”2] 

1  Louis  de  Contes,  called  “  Imerguet  ”  and  “  Mugot  ”  by  his  companions. 

2  The  phrase  is  left  thus  unfinished  in  all  the  MSS.  It  is  quoted  in  the 
Latin  texts  in  the  original  French,  as  above. 


DEPOSITIONS  IN  PARIS:  1455-6  297 

Maître  Aignan  Viole,  Licentiate  in  Law,  Advocate  of 
the  Court  of  Parliament. 

On  the  Sunday  after  the  taking  of  the  Forts  of  the 
Bridge  and  of  Saint  Loup,  the  English  were  drawn  up  in 
order  of  battle  before  the  town  of  Orleans,  at  which  the 
greater  part  of  [our]  soldiers  wished  to  give  combat,  and 
sallied  from  the  town.  Jeanne,  who  was  wounded,  was 
with  the  soldiers,  dressed  in  her  light  surcoat.  She  put 
the  men  in  array,  but  forbade  them  to  attack  the  English, 
because,  she  said,  if  it  pleased  God  and  it  were  His  will 
that  they  wished  to  retire,  they  should  be  allowed  to  go. 
And  at  that  the  men-at-arms  returned  into  Orleans. 

It  was  said  that  Jeanne  was  as  expert  as  possible  in  the 
art  of  ordering  an  army  in  battle,  and  that  even  a  captain 
bred  and  instructed  in  war  could  not  have  shown  more 
skill  ;  at  this  the  captains  marvelled  exceedingly. 

She  frequently  confessed,  often  received  the  Holy 
Sacrament,  and,  in  all  her  deeds  and  conversation,  bore 
herself  most  worthily,  and  in  everything  save  in  warfare 
she  was  marvellously  simple. 


DEPOSITIONS  AT  ROUEN:  1455-6. 


Guillaume  Colles,  or  Boisguillaume,  Priest ,  Notary 
Public. 

I  knew  nothing  of  Jeanne  till  she  was  brought 
to  Rouen  for  her  trial,  at  which  I  was  one  of  the 
notaries.  In  the  copy  of  the  Process  shown  to  me,  I 
recognize  my  own  signature  at  the  end.  It  is  the  true 
Process  made  against  Jeanne,  and  is  one  of  five  similar 
copies  made.  In  the  said  Process  were  associated  with 
me  Maître  Guillaume  Manchon  and  Maître  Pierre 
Taquel.  In  the  morning  we  registered  the  notes  and 
answers,  and  in  the  afternoon  we  collected  them  together. 
For  nothing  in  the  world  would  we  have  failed  in  any¬ 
thing  that  should  have  been  done. 

I  remember  well  that  Jeanne  answered  more  prudently 
when  questioned  a  second  time  upon  a  point  whereon 
she  had  been  already  questioned  ;  she  failed  not  to 
say  that  she  had  elsewhere  replied,  and  she  told  the 
notaries  to  read  what  she  had  already  said. 

Maître  Nicolas  Loyseleur,  feigning  to  be  a  cobbler — 
a  captive  on  the  part  of  the  King  of  France,  and  from 
Lorraine — obtained  entrance  to  Jeanne’s  prison,  to 
whom  he  said  that  she  should  not  believe  the  Church¬ 
men,  “because,”  he  added,  “if  you  believe  them,  you 
will  be  destroyed.”  I  believe  the  Bishop  of  Beauvais 
knew  this  well,  otherwise  Loyseleur  would  not  have 


DEPOSITIONS  AT  ROUEN  :  1455-6  299 

done  as  he  did.  Many  of  the  Assessors  in  the 
Process  murmured  against  him.  It  is  said  that 
Loyseleur  died  suddenly  at  Bâle  ;  and  I  have  heard 
that,  when  he  saw  Jeanne  condemned  to  death,  he 
was  seized  with  compunction  and  climbed  into  the  cart, 
earnestly  desiring  her  pardon  ;  at  which  many  of  the 
English  were  indignant  ;  and  that,  had  it  not  been  for 
the  Earl  of  Warwick,  Loyseleur  would  have  been  killed  ; 
the  said  Earl  enjoined  him  to  leave  Rouen  as  soon 
as  he  possibly  could,  if  he  wished  to  save  his  life. 

In  the  same  way,  Maître  Guillaume  d’Estivet  got  into 
the  prison,  feigning  to  be  a  prisoner — as  Loyseleur  had 
done.  This  d’Estivet  was  Promoter,  and  in  this  matter 
was  much  affected  towards  the  English,  whom  he 
desired  to  please.  He  was  a  bad  man,  and  often  during 
the  Process  spoke  ill  of  the  notaries  and  of  those  who,  as 
he  saw,  wished  to  act  justly  ;  and  he  often  cruelly  insulted 
Jeanne,  calling  her  foul  names.  I  think  that,  in  the  end 
of  his  days,  he  was  punished  by  God  ;  for  he  died 
miserably.  He  was  found  dead  in  a  drain  outside  the 
gates  of  Rouen. 

Jeanne  was  often  disconcerted  by  questions  which 
were  subtle  and  not  pertinent.  I  remember  that,  on 
one  occasion,  she  was  asked  if  she  were  in  a  state  of 
grace.  She  replied,  that  it  was  a  serious  matter  to 
answer  such  a  question,  and  at  last  said  :  “  If  I  am,  may 
God  so  keep  me.  If  I  am  not,  may  God  so  place  me. 
I  would  rather  die  than  not  be  in  the  love  of  God.”  At 
this  reply  the  questioners  were  much  confounded,  and 
broke  up  the  sitting  ;  nor  was  she  further  interrogated 
on  that  occasion. 

On  the  Sunday  following  the  first  sentence,  I  was 
summoned  to  the  Castle  with  the  other  notaries  to  see 
Jeanne  dressed  in  man’s  dress;  we  went  to  the  Castle, 
entered  the  prison,  and  there  saw  her.  Questioned  as 
to  why  she  had  resumed  it,  she  made  excuses,  as  appears 


3oo 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


in  the  Process.  I  think,  perhaps,  that  she  was  induced 
to  act  thus,  for  I  saw  many  of  those  concerned  in  the 
Process  applauding  and  rejoicing  that  she  had  resumed 
her  old  dress  ;  yet  some  lamented,  among  whom  I  saw 
Pierre  Maurice  grieving  much. 

On  the  following  Wednesday,  Jeanne  was  taken  to  the 
Old  Market  of  Rouen,  where  a  sermon  was  preached 
by  Maître  Nicolas  Midi  upon  the  Sentence  of  Relapse 
pronounced  by  the  Bishop  of  Beauvais.  After  this 
sentence  was  read,  she  was  taken  by  the  civil  authorities, 
and,  without  further  trial  or  sentence,  was  led  to  the 
executioner,  to  be  burnt.  And  I  know,  of  a  truth, 
that  the  Judges  and  their  adherents  were  hence¬ 
forward  notorious  to  the  population  :  after  Jeanne 
was  burnt,  they  were  pointed  at  by  the  people  and 
hated  ;  and  I  have  heard  it  maintained  that  all  who  were 
guilty  of  her  death  came  to  a  shameful  end.  Maître 
Nicolas  Midi  died  of  leprosy  a  few  days  later;  and 
the  Bishop  died  suddenly  while  he  was  being  shaved. 

Jean  Lemaire,  Priest ,  Curé  of  the  Church  of  St. 
Vincent  at  Rouen;  [evidence  of  no  special  value.] 

Maugier  Leparmentier,  Clerk ,  Apparitor  of  the 
Archiépiscopal  Court  of  Rouen. 

I  knew  nothing  of  Jeanne  until  she  came  to 
Rouen.  I  was  summoned  to  the  Castle  of  Rouen,  with 
my  assistants,  to  submit  Jeanne  to  torture.  On  this 
occasion,  she  was  questioned  on  various  subjects  and 
answered  with  such  prudence  that  all  present  marvelled. 
Then  I  and  my  associates  retired  without  doing  anything. 

She  was  a  prisoner  in  the  Castle,  in  a  great  tower. 
I  saw  her  when  I  was  summoned  to  the  torture,  as 
aforesaid.  I  was  present  at  the  first  preaching  at  St. 
Ouen,  and  also  at  the  last  at  the  Old  Market,  on  the 
day  when  Jeanne  was  burnt.  Wood  was  prepared  for 


erre  Cœ/icAort , 

Bishop  ofBeaavais.  Dior/  Bishoji  ofListeiuc /-f/2. 
-7om6  forsnerly  ïs>  t/u>  C hf/uWrt//  of L  isiciur 


3oi 


DEPOSITIONS  AT  ROUEN:  1455-6 

the  burning  before  the  preaching  was  finished  or  the 
sentence  pronounced  ;  and  as  soon  as  the  sentence  was 
read  by  the  Bishop,  without  any  interval,  she  was  taken 
to  the  fire.  I  did  not  notice  that  any  sentence  by  the 
civil  authorities  was  read.  When  she  was  in  the  fire 
she  cried,  more  than  six  times,  “Jesus!”  And  with 
the  last  breath  she  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  so  that 
all  present  might  hear,  “Jesus!”  Nearly  all  wept  for 
pity.  I  have  heard  it  said  that,  after  the  burning,  her 
ashes  were  collected  and  thrown  into  the  Seine. 

Laurence  Guesdon,  Biirgher  of  Rouen,  and  Advocate 
in  the  Civil  Courts. 

I  knew  nothing  of  Jeanne  till  she  was  brought  to 
Rouen  ;  but  I  was  so  anxious  to  see  her  that  I  went 
to  the  Castle,  and  there  saw  her  for  the  first  time.  I 
did  not  see  her  again  until  the  time  of  the  preaching  at 
Saint  Ouen. 

I  was  at  the  final  sermon  in  the  Old  Market  Place, 
at  Rouen  ;  I  went  as  Bailly,  for  whom  I  was  then  acting 
as  deputy.  The  sentence  by  which  Jeanne  was  handed 
over  to  the  civil  authorities  was  read  ;  and,  as  soon  as 
it  was  pronounced, — at  once,  without  any  interval  of 
handing  her  over  to  the  Bailly,  without  more  ado,  and 
before  either  the  Bailly  or  myself,  whose  office  it  was, 
had  given  sentence, — the  executioner  seized  her  and 
took  her  to  the  place  where  the  stake  was  already 
prepared  :  and  she  was  burned.  And  this  I  hold  was 
not  a  right  proceeding  :  for  soon  after,  a  malefactor 
named  George  Folenfont  was  in  like  manner  handed 
over,  by  sentence,  from  the  ecclesiastical  to  the  civil 
authorities  ;  and,  after  the  sentence,  the  said  George 
was  conducted  to  the  Cohue,1  and  there  condemned  by 
the  secular  justice,  instead  of  being  immediately  con¬ 
ducted  to  execution. 


1  The  Court  of  the  Bailiff. 


302 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


I  think  Jeanne  died  as  a  Catholic,  for,  in  dying,  she 
cried  on  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  She  was  very 
devout,  and  nearly  all  present  were  moved  to  tears. 
After  she  was  dead,  the  ashes  that  remained  were  col¬ 
lected  by  the  executioner  and  thrown  into  the  Seine. 

Jean  Ricquier,  Priest ,  Chaplain  in  the  Cathedral  of 
Rouen ,  and  Curé  of  the  Church  at  Hendicourt. 

I  first  saw  Jeanne  at  the  sermon  at  Saint  Ouen,  and 
again  at  the  Old  Market.  I  was  then  about  twenty. 

At  the  time  when  Jeanne  was  brought  to  Rouen,  I 
was  in  the  choir  of  the  Cathedral,  and  sometimes 
heard  of  the  Trial  from  the  Clergy  of  the  Cathedral. 

I  was  present  at  the  sermon  in  the  Old  Market,  on 
the  day  Jeanne  died.  I  know  she  was  handed  over  by 
the  ecclesiastical  authorities.  I  saw  the  English  followers 
and  soldiers  seize  her,  and  lead  her  immediately  to  the 
place  of  execution  ;  nor  did  I  see  any  sentence  read  by 
the  secular  authorities. 

On  that  morning,  before  the  sermon,  Maître  Pierre 
Maurice  came  to  visit  her  ;  to  whom  she  said,  “  Maître 
Pierre,  where  shall  I  be  this  evening  ?  ”  Maître  Pierre 
replied,  “  Have  you  not  a  good  hope  in  God?”  She 
answered  that  she  had  ;  and  that,  God  willing,  she  would 
be  in  Paradise.  This  I  heard  from  the  aforesaid  Maître 
Pierre.  When  Jeanne  saw  that  they  were  setting  fire  to 
the  pile,  she  began  to  say,  with  a  loud  voice,  “Jesus!” 
and  constantly,  to  the  end,  she  cried,  “  Jesus  !  ” 

And  after  she  was  dead,  because  the  English  feared 
that  people  would  say  she  had  escaped,  they  ordered  the 
executioner  to  part  the  flames  a  little,  in  order  that  those 
present  might  see  she  was  dead.  I  was  near  to  Maître 
Jean  Alépée,  at  that  time  Canon  of  Rouen,  and  heard 
him  say  these  words,  weeping  greatly  :  “  God  grant  that 
my  soul  may  be  in  the  place  where  I  believe  this 
woman’s  to  be  !  ” 


DEPOSITIONS  AT  ROUEN:  1455-6  303: 

Jean  Moreau,  Visitor  in  the  city  of  Rouen. 

I  live  at  Rouen  ;  but  I  came  from  Viville,  in 
Bassigny, — not  far  from  Domremy,  where  Jeanne  was 
born. 

At  the  time  when  Jeanne  was  at  Rouen,  and  during 
the  Trial  against  her,  a  man  of  note  from  Lorraine 
came  to  the  town.  We  soon  made  acquaintance,  being 
of  the  same  country.  He  told  me  that  he  came  from 
the  Marches  of  Lorraine,  and  that  he  had  been  called  to 
Rouen,  having  been  commissioned  to  get  information  in 
the  native  country  of  the  said  Jeanne,  and  to  hear  what 
was  said  about  her.  This  he  had  done,  and  had  brought 
it  to  the  Bishop  of  Beauvais,  expecting  to  have  satis¬ 
faction  for  his  labour  and  expense.  But  the  Bishop 
blamed  him  for  a  traitor  and  a  bad  man,  and  said  he  had 
not  done  in  this  as  he  had  been  told.  My  compatriot 
complained  that  he  could  not  get  any  wage  from  the 
Bishop,  who  found  his  information  of  no  use  :  he 
told  me  that  in  this  information  he  had  learnt  nothing 
of  Jeanne  which  he  would  not  willingly  know  of  his  own 
sister,  although  he  had  made  enquiries  in  five  or  six 
parishes  near  Domremy  as  well  as  in  the  village  itself. 
I  remember  it  was  said  that  she  had  committed  the 
crime  of  lèse  majesté ,x  and  had  led  the  people  away. 

H  usson  Le  Maître,  of  Viville ,  in  Bassigny ,  Coal 
Merchant. 

I  knew  nothing  of  Jeanne  until  she  came  to  Rheims, 
for  the  King’s  coronation,  in  which  town  I  was  then 
living.  Thither  came  also  her  father  and  her  brother 
Pierre,  both  of  whom  were  friendly  with  me  and  my 
wife,  as  we  were  compatriots  ;  and  they  called  my  wife 
“  neighbour.” 

I  was  in  my  own  neighbourhood  when  Jeanne  went  to 

1  “  Crimen  lœsœ  majestatis .” 


304 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


Vaucouleurs,  to  Robert  de  Baudricourt,  that  she  might 
get  an  escort  to  go  to  the  King.  I  then  said  it  was  by 
the  grace  of  God,  and  that  Jeanne  was  led  by  the  Spirit 
of  God.  Jeanne  requested  the  said  Robert  to  give  her 
an  escort  to  conduct  her  to  my  lord  the  Dauphin. 

I  heard,  at  the  time  when  she  was  taken  from 
Vaucouleurs  to  the  King,  that  some  of  the  soldiers  who 
conducted  her  feigned  to  be  on  the  other  side,  and, 
when  those  who  were  with  her  pretended  to  fly,  she 
said  to  them  :  “  Fly  not,  in  God’s  Name!  they  will  do 
us  no  harm.”  When  she  came  to  the  King,  she 
recognized  him,  though  she  had  never  seen  him  before  ; 
and  afterwards  she  took  the  King  without  hindrance 
to  Rheims,  where  I  saw  her  ;  and  from  Rheims  the 
King  went  to  Corbignac,  and  afterwards  to  Château 
Thierry,  which  was  surrendered  to  the  King.  And  there 
arrived  news  that  the  English  were  come  to  fight  against 
the  King  ;  but  Jeanne  told  the  King’s  people  not  to  fear, 
for  the  English  would  not  come. 

Pierre  Daron,  Locum  Tenens ,  Deputy  to  the  Bailiff 
of  Rouen. 

I  knew  nothing  of  Jeanne  until  she  was  brought 
to  Rouen,  where,  at  that  time,  I  was  Procurator  of  the 
town.  Having  much  curiosity  to  see  the  said  Jeanne,  I 
enquired  the  best  means  to  accomplish  this  :  and  a 
certain  Pierre  Manuel,  Advocate  of  the  King  of  England, 
who  was  also  anxious  to  see  her,  came,  and  together  we 
went  to  see  her. 

We  found  her  in  the  Castle,  in  a  certain  turret,  in 
shackles,  with  a  great  piece  of  wood  chained  to  her  feet, 
and  having  many  English  guards.  And  Manuel  said  to 
her,  in  my  presence,  jokingly,  that  she  would  never  have 
come  there  if  she  had  not  been  brought  :  and  he  asked 
her  if  she  knew,  before  she  was  captured,  that  she 


DEPOSITIONS  AT  ROUEN  :  1455-6  305 

would  be  taken  ;  to  which  she  replied  that  she  had 
feared  it.  When  he  asked  her,  afterwards,  why,  if  she 
feared  to  be  taken  prisoner,  she  did  not  guard  herself  on 
the  day  that  she  was  captured,  she  replied  that  she  did  not 
know  either  the  day  or  hour  when  she  was  to  be  taken. 

I  saw  her  once  again  during  the  Trial,  when  she 
was  being  brought  from  the  prison  to  the  great  hall  of 
the  Castle. 

I  heard  from  several,  during  the  Trial,  that  Jeanne  was 
quite  wonderful  in  her  answers,  and  that  she  had  a  remark¬ 
able  memory  ;  for,  on  one  occasion,  when  questioned 
as  to  a  point  on  which  she  had  answered  eight  days 
before,  she  replied  :  “  I  was  asked  about  this  eight  days 
ago,  and  thus  replied.”  Boisguillaume,  the  other  notary, 
said  she  had  not  answered  ;  and,  when  some  of  those 
present  declared  that  what  Jeanne  said  was  true,  the 
answers  of  that  day  were  read  :  and  it  was  found  that 
Jeanne  had  spoken  right.  At  this  she  rejoiced,  saying 
to  Boisguillaume  that,  if  he  made  mistakes  again,  she 
would  pull  his  ears  ! 

I  was  present  at  the  sermon  at  the  Old  Market 

on  the  day  that  Jeanne  died.  Among  other  things, 

I  heard  her  say  :  “  Ah  !  Rouen,  Rouen,  wilt  thou  be 

my  last  dwelling  ?  ”  She  inspired  in  all  the  greatest 

pity,  and  many  were  moved  to  tears  ;  many,  too,  were 
much  displeased  that  Jeanne  had  been  executed  in 
the  town  of  Rouen.  At  the  close  of  her  life,  she 
continually  cried  “Jesus!”  Her  ashes  and  remains 
were  afterwards  collected  and  thrown  into  the  Seine. 

Brother  Séguin  de  Séguin,  Dominican ,  Professor 
of  Theology ,  Dean  of  the  Faculty  of  Theology  of 
Poitiers. 

I  saw  Jeanne  for  the  first  time  at  Poitiers.  The 
King’s  Council  was  assembled  in  the  house  of  the 
Lady  La  Macée,  the  Archbishop  of  Rheims,  then 


x 


3°6 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


Chancellor  of  France,  being  of  their  number.  I  was 
summoned,  as  also  were  Jean  Lombart,  Professor  of 
Theology  of  the  University  of  Paris  ;  Maître  Guillaume 
le  Maire,  Canon  of  Poitiers  and  Bachelor  in  Theology  ; 
Maître  Guillaume  Aymerie,  Professor  of  Theology,  of 
the  Order  of  Saint  Dominic  ;  Brother  Pierre  Turrelure; 
Maître  Jacques  Maledon  ;  and  many  others  whose  names 
I  do  not  remember.  The  Members  of  the  Council  told 
us  that  we  were  summoned,  in  the  King’s  name,  to 
question  Jeanne  and  to  give  our  opinion  upon  her.  We 
were  sent  to  question  her  at  the  house  of  Maître  Jean 
Rabateau,  where  she  was  lodging.  We  repaired  thither 
and  interrogated  her. 

Among  other  questions,  Maître  Jean  Lombart  asked 
her  why  she  had  come  ;  that  the  King  wished  to  know 
what  had  induced  her  to  come  to  him.  She  answered, 
in  a  grand  manner,  that  “  there  had  come  to  her,  while 
she  was  minding  the  cattle,  a  Voice,  which  told  her  that 
God  had  great  compassion  for  the  people  of  France,  and 
that  she  must  go  into  France.”  On  hearing  this,  she 
began  to  weep  ;  the  Voice  then  told  her  to  go  to 
Vaucouleurs,  where  she  would  find  a  Captain  who  would 
conduct  her  safely  into  France  and  to  the  King,  and  that 
she  must  not  be  afraid.  She  had  done  what  the  Voice 
had  ordered,  and  had  come  to  the  King  without  meeting 
any  obstacle. 

Thereupon,  Guillaume  Aymerie  put  to  her  this 
question  :  “You  assert  that  a  Voice  told  you,  God  willed 
to  deliver  the  people  of  France  from  the  calamity  in 
which  they  now  are  ;  but,  if  God  wills  to  deliver  them, 
it  is  not  necessary  to  have  soldiers.”  “  In  God’s 
Name!”  Jeanne  replied,  “the  soldiers  will  fight,  and 
God  will  give  the  victory.”  With  which  answer  Maître 
Guillaume  was  pleased. 

I,  in  my  turn,  asked  Jeanne  what  dialect  the  Voice 
spoke  ?  “  A  better  one  than  yours,”  she  replied.  I 


JEANNE  D  ARC. 

From  a  Miniature  of  ihe  XVth  Century. 


DEPOSITIONS  AT  ROUEN:  1455-6  307 

speak  the  Limousin  dialect.  “  Do  you  believe  in  God  ?  ” 
I  asked  her.  “In  truth,  more  than  yourself!”  she 
answered.  “  But  God  wills  that  you  should  not  be  be¬ 
lieved  unless  there  appear  some  sign  to  prove  that  you 
ought  to  be  believed  ;  and  we  shall  not  advise  the  King 
to  trust  in  you,  and  to  risk  an  army  on  your  simple  state¬ 
ment.”  “In  God’s  Name!”  she  replied,  “I  am  not 
come  to  Poitiers  to  shew  signs  :  but  send  me  to  Orleans, 
where  I  shall  shew  you  the  signs  by  which  I  am  sent  :  ” 
and  she  added  :  “  Send  me  men  in  such  numbers  as  may 
seem  good,  and  I  will  go  to  Orleans.” 

And  then  she  foretold  to  us — to  me  and  to  all  the 
others  who  were  with  me — these  four  things  which  should 
happen,  and  which  did  afterwards  come  to  pass  :  first, 
that  the  English  would  be  destroyed,  the  siege  of 
Orleans  raised,  and  the  town  delivered  from  the  Eng¬ 
lish  ;  secondly,  that  the  King  would  be  crowned  at 
Rheims  ;  thirdly,  that  Paris  would  be  restored  to  his 
dominion  ;  and  fourthly,  that  the  Duke  d’Orléans  should 
be  brought  back  from  England.  And  I  who  speak,  I 
have  in  truth  seen  these  four  things  accomplished. 

We  reported  all  this  to  the  Council  of  the  King  ;  and 
we  were  of  opinion  that,  considering  the  extreme  neces¬ 
sity  and  the  great  peril  of  the  town,  the  King  might 
make  use  of  her  help  and  send  her  to  Orleans. 

Besides  this,  we  enquired  into  her  life  and  morals  ; 
and  found  that  she  was  a  good  Christian,  living  as  a 
Catholic,  never  idle.  In  order  that  her  manner  of  living 
might  be  better  known,  women  were  placed  with  her 
who  were  commissioned  to  report  to  the  Council  her 
actions  and  ways. 

As  for  me,  I  believed  she  was  sent  from  God,  because, 
at  the  time  when  she  appeared,  the  King  and  all  the 
French  people  with  him  had  lost  hope  :  no  one  thought 
of  aught  but  to  save  himself. 

I  remember  that  Jeanne  was  asked  why  she  always 

x  2 


3°8 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


marched  with  a  banner  in  her  hand  ?  “  Because,”  she 

answered,  “  I  do  not  wish  to  use  my  sword,  nor  to  kill 
any  one.” 

When  she  heard  any  one  taking  in  vain  the  Name  of 
God,  she  was  very  angry  ;  she  held  such  blasphemies 
in  horror:  and  Jeanne  told  La  Hire,  who  used  many 
oaths  and  swore  by  God,  that  he  must  swear  no 
more,  and  that,  when  he  wanted  to  swear  by  God,  he 
should  swear  by  his  staff.  And  afterwards,  indeed,  when 
he  was  with  her,  La  Hire  never  swore  but  by  his  staff. 


Testimony  of  d’Aulon  : 1  1456. 

And  first,  Deponent  saith  that,  twenty  years  ago  or 
thereabouts,  the  King  being  in  the  town  of  Poitiers,  he 
[d’Aulon]  was  told  that  the  said  Maid,  who  was  from  the 
country  of  Lorraine,  had  been  brought  to  the  said  Lord 
by  two  gentlemen,  the  same  being  of  the  company  of 
Messire  Robert  de  Baudricourt,  Knight — the  one  named 
Bertrand  ;  the  other  Jean  de  Metz — and  presented  [to 
the  King]  ;  to  see  whom  (the  said  Maid)  the  Deponent 
visited  the  said  town  of  Poitiers  ; 

That,  after  the  presentation,  the  Maid  spoke  privately 
to  our  Lord  the  King,  and  told  him  several  secret 
things — what,  he  [the  Deponent]  knew  not  :  saving  that, 
shortly  after,  the  King  sent  to  fetch  some  of  the 
people  of  his  Council,  among  whom  was  the  Deponent. 
He  [the  King]  then  informed  them  that  the  Maid 
had  told  him  she  was  sent  from  God  to  help  him  to 

recover  his  kingdom,  which  at  that  time  was  for  the 

most  part  occupied  by  his  ancient  enemies,  the  English  ; 

That,  after  these  words  had  been  declared  to  the 

people  of  his  Council  by  the  King,  it  was  agreed 

1  The  examination  of  d’Aulon,  who  served  Jeanne  d’Arc  as  Steward, 
and  who,  at  the  time  of  being  examined,  was  Seneschal  of  Beaucaire,  is 
the  only  evidence  preserved  in  the  original  French. 


THE  BATTLE  OF  PATAY. 


LA  HIRE  AND  XANTR AILLES. 


DEPOSITIONS  AT  ROUEN  :  1455-6  309 

to  interrogate  the  Maid — who,  at  that  time,  was  of  the 
age  of  sixteen  years  or  thereabouts — upon  sundry  points 
touching  the  Faith  ; 

That,  to  do  this,  the  King  sent  for  certain  Masters 
in  Theology,  Jurists,  and  other  expert  people,  who 
should  well  and  diligently  examine  her  on  these  points  ; 

That  he  was  present  at  the  said  Council  when 
the  Masters  made  their  report  on  what  they  had 
found  in  the  Maid  ;  at  which  it  was  publicly  said  by 
one  of  them,  that  they  did  not  see,  know,  or  recognize 
in  the  Maid  anything,  excepting  only  whatever  should 
be  in  a  good  Christian  and  true  Catholic  :  and  for  such 
they  held  her,  and  it  was  their  opinion  that  she  was 
very  worthy  ; 

Also  that,  the  report  being  made  to  the  said  King  by 
the  Masters,  the  Maid  was  then  handed  over  to  the 
Queen  of  Sicily,  the  mother  of  our  Sovereign  Lady 
the  Queen,  and  to  certain  ladies  with  her,  by  whom 
the  Maid  was  seen,  visited,  and  privately  looked  at  and 
examined  ;  and  after  examination  made  by  these  matrons, 
the  lady  stated  to  the  King  that  she  and  the  other 
ladies  found  most  surely  that  this  was  indeed  a  true 
Maid  .  .  ; 

That  he  was  present  when  the  lady  made  her  report  ; 

That,  these  things  being  heard,  and  considering  the 
great  goodness  in  the  Maid,  and  that  God  had  sent  her 
to  him,  as  she  had  said,  it  was  by  the  King  concluded 
in  his  Council  that  henceforward  he  would  make  use 
of  her  help  in  his  wars,  inasmuch  as  for  this  she  had 
been  sent  ; 

That,  it  was  then  decided  she  should  be  sent  to  the 
city  of  Orleans,  at  that  time  besieged  by  the  enemy  ; 

That,  for  this  end  people  were  given  for  her  own 
service,  and  others  to  conduct  her  ; 

That,  the  guard  and  conduct  of  the  same  was 
appointed  by  our  Lord  the  King  ; 


3io 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


Also  that,  for  the  safety  of  her  body  the  King  caused 
to  be  made  armour  fit  for  the  Maid’s  body,  and,  this 
done,  appointed  a  certain  number  of  men-at-arms  for 
the  same  [Maid]  and  for  those  of  her  company,  to 
lead  and  conduct  them  safely  to  the  City  of  Orleans  ; 

That,  immediately  afterwards,  he  [the  Deponent]  took 
the  road  with  them,  following  in  this  direction  ; 

That,  as  soon  as  it  came  to  the  knowledge  of  my 
Lord  Dunois — then  called  the  Bastard  of  Orleans,  who 
was  in  the  city  of  Orleans  in  order  to  keep  and  guard  it 
from  the  enemy — that  the  Maid  was  coming  that  way, 
he  assembled  together  a  certain  number  of  men  of  war 
to  meet  her,  such  as  La  Hire  and  others.  And  to  do 
this,  and  more  safely  to  lead  and  conduct  her  to  the  city, 
this  Lord  and  his  followers  placed  themselves  in  a  boat, 
and  went  to  meet  her  by  the  river  Loire,  about  a 
quarter  of  a  league  distant,  and  there  found  her  ; 

That,  the  Maid  and  the  Deponent  immediately 
entered  the  boat,  while  the  remainder  of  her  soldiers 
turned  back  toward  Blois.  And,  with  the  Lord 
Dunois  and  his  followers,  they  entered  the  city  sure  and 
safe  ;  in  which  [city]  the  Lord  Dunois  lodged  her  well 
and  comfortably  in  the  house  of  one  of  the  principal 
burghers  of  the  city,  who  had  married  one  of  the 
principal  women  thereof  ; 

That,  after  the  said  Lord  Dunois,  La  Hire,  and  certain 
other  captains  of  the  party  of  our  Lord  the  King,  had 
conferred  with  the  Maid  as  to  what  was  expedient 
to  do  for  the  guardianship,  keeping,  and  defence  of  the 
city,  and  also  by  what  means  the  enemy  could  be  best 
harassed,  it  was  between  them  agreed  and  concluded 
to  be  necessary  that  a  certain  number  of  men-at-arms 
of  their  party,  then  near  Blois,  should  be  sent  for  and 
brought.  To  put  this  into  execution,  and  to  fetch 
them  to  the  city,  were  appointed  the  Lord  Dunois  and 
the  Deponent,  and  certain  other  captains,  with  their 


DEPOSITIONS  AT  ROUEN:  1455-6  311 

followers,  who  sent  to  the  country  of  Blois  to  bring 
the  same  ; 

That,  as  soon  as  they  were  ready  to  depart  and  bring 
those  who  were  in  the  country  of  Blois,  and  that 
this  came  to  the  notice  of  the  Maid,  immediately  she 
mounted*  her  horse,  and,  together  with  La  Hire  and  a 
certain  number  of  her  followers,  she  went  out  into  the 
fields  to  keep  the  enemy  from  doing  them  injury. 
And,  in  order  to  do  this,  the  Maid  placed  herself  with 
her  followers  between  the  army  of  the  enemy  and  the 
city  of  Orleans  ;  and  so  wrought,  that, — thanks  to  God  ! 
— notwithstanding  the  great  power  and  number  of  the 
soldiers  in  the  army  of  the  enemy,  the  Lord  Dunois 
and  the  Deponent,  with  all  their  followers,  passed 
through,  and  safely  went  their  way  :  and  in  the  same 
way  returned  the  Maid  and  her  followers  to  the  city  ; 

That,  as  soon  as  she  knew  of  the  coming  of  the 
aforesaid,  and  that  they  brought  with  them  those  whom 
they  had  gone  to  fetch  for  the  reinforcement  of  the 
city,  immediately  the  Maid  mounted  her  horse  and, 
with  a  party  of  her  followers,  went  to  meet  them,  to 
support  and  succour  them,  if  there  were  need  of  it  ; 

That,  in  the  sight  and  knowledge  of  the  enemies, 
the  Maid,  Dunois,  Maréchal  La  Hire,  and  the  Deponent, 
with  their  followers,  entered  the  city  without  any 
opposition  whatsoever  ; 

Moreover,  that,  the  same  day,  after  dinner,  came 
the  said  Lord  Dunois  to  the  lodging  of  the  Maid, 
where  she  and  the  Deponent  had  dined  together.  And, 
in  speaking  to  her,  Dunois  told  her  that  he  knew,  of  a 
truth,  from  people  of  worth,  that  one  named  Fastolf, 
captain  of  the  enemy,  would  shortly  join  the  enemy  at 
the  siege,  not  only  to  give  them  help  and  reinforce 
them,  but  also  to  victual  them,  and  that  he  was  then 
at  Vinville.  At  which  words  the  Maid  much  rejoiced — 
so  it  seemed  to  the  Deponent — and  said  to  my  Lord 


312 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


Dunois  these  or  suchlike  words  :  “  Bastard,  Bastard,  in 
the  Name  of  God  I  command  thee  that,  so  soon  as  thou 
knowest  of  the  coming  of  the  said  Fastolf,  thou  dost 
let  me  know  ;  for,  if  he  pass  without  my  knowing,  I 
promise  thee  I  will  have  thy  head.”  To  which  replied 
the  Lord  Dunois,  that  of  this  he  had  no  fear,  for  he 
would  certainly  let  her  know  ; 

That,  after  these  words,  the  Deponent  being  tired  and 
overdone,  placed  himself  on  a  couch  in  the  chamber  of 
the  Maid,  to  rest  himself  a  little,  and  also  the  Maid 
placed  herself  with  her  hostess  on  another  bed  in  the 
same  way,  to  sleep  and  rest  ;  but,  as  the  Deponent  was 
beginning  to  take  his  rest,  suddenly  the  Maid,  though 
asleep,  arose  from  her  bed  and,  making  a  great  noise, 
awoke  him.  And  then  the  Deponent  asked  of  her  what 
she  wanted  ;  to  which  she  answered  :  “  En  Nom  Dè  !  my 
Counsel  hath  told  me  that  I  should  attack  the  English  ; 
but  I  know  not  if  I  should  attack  their  bastilles  or  go 
against  Fastolf,  who  would  victual  them”  ;  on  which  the 
Deponent  immediately  rose,  and,  as  soon  as  he  could, 
armed  the  Maid  ; 

That,  as  soon  as  he  had  armed  her,  they  heard  a  great 
noise  and  cry  made  by  those  of  the  city,  saying  that 
the  enemy  were  doing  much  harm  to  the  French.  Then 
the  Deponent  armed  himself,  and,  while  he  was  so  doing, 
without  his  knowledge,  the  Maid  left  the  room,  and 
went  forth  into  the  street.  Here  she  found  a  page, 
on  horseback,  who  at  once  dismounted  from  the  horse  ; 
and  immediately  she  mounted  thereon,  and,  as  straight 
and  as  speedily  as  she  could,  she  took  her  way  direct  to 
the  Burgundy  Gate,  where  was  the  greatest  noise  ; 

That,  the  Deponent  immediately  followed  the  Maid  ; 
but,  go  as  quickly  as  he  might,  she  was  already  at  the 
gate  ; 

That,  as  they  were  coming  to  the  gate,  they  saw 
being  carried  away  one  of  the  people  of  the  city,  who 


DEPOSITIONS  AT  ROUEN:  1455-6  313 

was  terribly  wounded  ;  and  then  the  Maid  asked  of 
those  carrying  him  who  this  man  was.  They  replied 
that  he  was  a  Frenchman.  Then  she  said  she  had 
never  seen  French  blood  without  feeling  her  hair  stand 
on  end  ; 

That,  at  the  same  time,  the  Maid,  the  Deponent,  and 
many  other  men  of  war  of  their  company,  went  out  from 
the  city  to  help  the  French,  and  to  harass  the  enemy  to 
the  best  of  their  power  ;  but,  as  soon  as  they  were 
outside  the  city,  the  Deponent  was  told  that  never  had 
there  been  seen  so  many  men-at-arms  of  their  side  as 
were  now  there  ; 

That,  after  this  passage,  they  took  their  road  towards 
a  very  strong  fort  of  the  enemy,  called  the  Fort  of  Saint 
Loup,  which  was  at  once  attacked  by  the  French,  and, 
with  very  little  loss  to  them,  was  taken  by  assault  ;  and 
all  the  enemy  within  were  killed  or  taken  :  and  the  fort 
remained  in  the  hands  of  the  French  ; 

That,  this  being  done,  the  Maid  and  those  of  her 
company  returned  into  the  city  of  Orleans,  where  they 
refreshed  themselves  and  rested  that  day  ; 

That,  next  day,  the  Maid  and  her  people,  considering 
the  great  victory  obtained  by  them  the  day  before  over 
their  enemies,  sallied  from  the  town  in  good  order,  to 
attack  another  fort  in  front  of  the  city,  called  the  Fort 
of  Saint-Jean-le-Blanc  :  for  which  purpose,  seeing  that 
they  could  not  get  there  by  land — because  their  enemies 
had  made  another  very  strong  fort,  at  the  foot  of  the 
bridge  of  the  city,  so  that  it  was  impossible  for  them 
to  cross  [the  bridge] — it  was  decided  among  them  to 
pass  over  to  a  certain  island  in  the  river  Loire,  and  there 
to  assemble  their  entire  army  :  and,  in  order  to  take 
the  Fort  of  Saint-Jean-le-Blanc  and  to  cross  to  the  other 
arm  of  the  river  Loire,  two  boats  were  brought,  of  which 
a  bridge  was  made,  for  the  attack  of  the  fort  ; 

That,  this  done,  they  went  to  the  fort,  which  they 


3I4 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


found  quite  deserted  ;  for  the  English  who  were  therein, 
so  soon  as  they  perceived  the  coming  of  the  French, 
went  away,  retreating  to  another  stronger  and  greater 
fort,  called  the  Fort  of  the  Augustins  ; 

That,  seeing  the  French  were  not  powerful  enough 
to  take  the  fort,  it  was  decided  they  should  return 
without  doing  anything  further  ; 

That,  in  order  to  return  and  cross  more  safely,  the 
most  notable  and  valiant  of  the  party  of  the  French 
were  ordered  to  remain  behind,  in  order  to  keep  the 
enemy  from  troubling  them  on  their  return  ;  and  for 
this  were  appointed  Messires  de  Gaucourt,  de  Villars, 
then  Seneschal  of  Beaucaire,  and  the  Deponent  ; 

That,  while  the  French  were  returning  from  the  Fort 
of  Saint-Jean-le-Blanc  to  the  island,  the  Maid  and  La 
Hire  both  crossed  over,  each  with  a  horse,  in  a  boat 
from  the  other  side  of  the  island  ;  and  on  these  horses 
they  mounted  as  soon  as  they  had  crossed,  each  with 
lance  in  hand.  As  soon  as  they  saw  that  the  enemy 
was  making  a  sally  from  the  fort  to  rush  upon  their 
people,  immediately  the  Maid  and  La  Hire,  who  were 
always  in  the  front  to  protect  them,  couched  their  lances 
and  were  the  first  to  attack  the  enemy  ;  others  then 
followed  and  began  to  attack  the  English,  in  such  wise 
that  they  forcibly  constrained  them  to  retreat  and  enter 
the  Fort  of  the  Augustins  ; 

And,  while  this  was  going  on,  the  Deponent,  being  in 
guard  of  a  passage  with  others  appointed  and  ordered 
thereto — among  whom  was  a  very  valiant  man-at-arms 
of  the  country  of  Spain,  named  Alphonse  de  Partada 
—saw  passing  before  them  another  man-at-arms  of  their 
company,  a  tall  man,  big  and  well  armed,  to  whom, 
because  he  was  about  to  pass  on,  the  Deponent  remarked 
that  he  ought  to  remain  there  for  a  time,  with  the  others, 
and  make  resistance  to  the  enemy,  should  need  arise  ; 
and  he  immediately  replied  that  he  would  do  nothing 


DEPOSITIONS  AT  ROUEN:  1455-6  315 

[of  the  kind].  Then  Alphonse  said  he  also  would 
remain  with  the  others,  and  that  there  were  many  as 
valiant  men  as  he  who  would  remain  willingly  ;  who 
answered  Alphonse,  that  it  would  not  be  he.  Upon 
which  there  were  between  them  certain  proud  words, 
so  much  that  they  decided  to  go,  both  of  them,  the  one 
and  the  other,  against  the  enemy  ;  and  then  it  would  be 
seen  which  was  the  more  valiant,  and  which  of  the  two 
would  best  do  his  duty.  And,  taking  one  another  by  the 
hand,  at  the  greatest  pace  they  could,  they  went  towards 
the  fort  of  the  enemy,  and  so  to  the  foot  of  the  palisade  ; 

That,  as  they  reached  the  palisade  of  the  fort,  the 
Deponent  saw  within  the  palisade  a  tall,  strong  and 
powerful  Englishman,  armed  at  all  points,  who  so 
resisted  them  that  they  could  not  enter.  Then  the 
Deponent  shewed  the  Englishman  to  a  man  named 
Maître  Jean  the  Cannoneer,  telling  him  to  shoot  at  the 
Englishman  ;  for  he  was  doing  much  harm  and  injury 
to  those  who  wished  to  approach  the  fort.  This 
Maître  Jean  did  ;  for,  as  soon  as  he  saw  him,  he 
aimed  a  shot  at  him,  so  that  he  fell  dead  to  the  ground  ; 
then  the  two  men-at-arms  won  the  passage,  by  which 
all  the  others  of  their  company  crossed,  and  entered  the 
fort,  which  most  fiercely  and  with  great  persistence 
they  assailed  on  all  sides,  so  that  within  a  short  time 
they  won  it  and  took  it  by  assault.  There  were  killed 
or  taken  the  greater  part  of  the  enemy  ;  and  those 
who  were  able  to  save  themselves  retreated  into  the 
Fort  of  Tourelles,  at  the  foot  of  the  bridge.  Thus,  the 
Maid  and  those  who  were  with  her  obtained  victory 
over  the  enemy  that  day.  And  the  great  battle  was 
won;  and  the  Lords  and  their  people  with  the  Maid 
remained  before  the  same  [fort]  all  that  night  ; 

Moreover,  that,  the  next  day,  in  the  morning,  the 
Maid  sent  to  fetch  all  the  lords  and  captains  before 
the  captured  fort,  to  consult  as  to  what  more  should  be 


3 1 6 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


done  ;  by  the  advice  of  whom  it  was  concluded  and 
resolved  to  attack  this  day  a  great  Boulevard,  which  the 
English  had  made,  before  the  Fort  of  Tourelles,  and  that 
it  was  expedient  to  gain  it  before  doing  anything  else. 
To  do  and  put  this  into  execution,  the  Maid,  the 
captain,  and  their  people,  on  this  day,  very  early  in 
the  morning,  went  from  one  place  to  the  other,  before 
the  Boulevard,  and  on  this  they  made  the  assault  from 
all  sides,  making  every  effort  to  take  it,  in  such  manner 
that  they  were  before  the  Boulevard  from  morning  till 
sunset  without  being  able  to  take  it  or  gain  it.  And  the 
lords  and  captains  who  were  with  her,  seeing  that  they 
could  not  well  gain  it  this  day,  considering  the  hour, 
which  was  late,  and  that  all  were  very  tired  and  worn 
out,  it  was  agreed  amongst  them  to  sound  the  retreat  for 
the  army  ;  which  was  done  ;  and,  at  sound  of  the  trumpet- 
call,  each  one  retreated  for  that  day.  In  making  this 
retreat,  because  the  Deponent,  who  was  carrying  the 
standard  of  the  Maid,  and  holding  it  upright  before  the 
Boulevard,  became  fatigued  and  worn-out,  he  gave  the 
standard  to  one  named  La  Basque,  who  was  of  the 
following  of  De  Villars  ;  and  because  the  Deponent 
knew  La  Basque  to  be  a  valiant  man,  and  feared  that, 
by  reason  of  the  retreat,  evil  would  ensue,  and  that  the 
fort  and  Boulevard  would  remain  in  the  hands  of  the 
enemy,  he  had  an  idea  that,  if  the  standard  were 
pushed  to  the  front, — from  the  great  affection  which  he 
knew  the  soldiers  had  for  it — they  might  for  this  reason 
gain  the  Boulevard.  Then  the  Deponent  asked  La 
Basque,  if  he  were  to  enter  and  go  to  the  foot  of  the 
Boulevard,  would  he  follow  him  ;  who  said  and  promised 
that  he  would  ;  then  the  Deponent  entered  the  trench, 
and  went  up  to  the  foot  of  the  sides  of  the  Boulevard, 
covering  himself  with  his  shield  for  fear  of  the  stones, 
and  left  his  companion  on  the  other  side,  believing  he 
would  follow  him  step  by  step.  But  when  the  Maid  saw 


DEPOSITIONS  AT  ROUEN:  1455-6  317 

her  standard  in  the  hand  of  La  Basque,  and  because  she 
believed  she  had  lost  it,  as  he  who  bore  it  had  gone  into 
the  trench,  the  Maid  came  and  took  the  standard  by  the 
end  in  such  wise  that  he  could  not  hold  it,  crying,  “  Ha! 
my  standard  !  my  standard  !  ”  and  shook  the  standard  in 
such  wise  that  the  Deponent  thought  that,  in  so  doing, 
the  others  might  imagine  she  was  making  some  sign  to 
them  ;  then  the  Deponent  cried  :  “  La  Basque,  is  this 
what  thou  didst  promise  me  ?  ”  Then  La  Basque  so 
pulled  at  the  standard  that  he  dragged  it  from  the 
hand  of  the  Maid  ;  and,  this  being  done,  he  went  to 
the  Deponent  and  brought  the  standard.  On  this 
account  all  the  army  of  the  Maid  assembled  together  and 
rallied  again,  and,  with  great  fierceness,  assailed  the 
Boulevard,  so  that,  shortly  after,  the  Boulevard  and  the 
fort  were  taken  by  them,  and  abandoned  by  the  enemy, 
the  French  [on  their  return]  entering  the  city  of  Orleans 
by  the  bridge  ; 

And  the  Deponent  saith  that,  on  this  very  day,  he 
had  heard  it  spoken  by  the  Maid  :  “In  God’s  Name,  we 
shall  enter  the  town  this  night  by  the  bridge.”  This 
done,  the  Maid  and  her  followers  returned  into  the  town 
of  Orleans,  in  which  the  Deponent  had  her  [wound] 
dressed,  for  she  had  been  wounded  by  an  arrow  in  the 
assault  ; 

Also  that,  next  day,  all  the  English  still  remaining 
before  the  town  on  the  other  side  of  the  Fort  of  Tourelles, 
raised  the  siege  and  retreated,  being  discomfited  and 
in  confusion.  Thus,  by  the  help  of  God  and  the 
Maid,  was  the  city  delivered  from  the  hands  of  the 
enemy  ; 

Moreover,  that,  some  time  after  the  return  from 
the  consecration  of  the  King,  he  [the  King]  was  advised 
by  his  Council — then  at  Mehun-sur-Yèvre — that  it  was 
most  necessary  to  recover  the  town  of  La  Charité,  which 
was  held  by  the  enemy  ;  but  that  first  must  be  taken 


3ï8 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


the  town  of  Saint  Pierre  le  Moustier,  which  likewise  was 
held  by  the  enemy  ; 

That,  to  do  this  and  to  collect  men,  the  Maid  went  to 
the  town  of  Bourges,  in  which  she  assembled  her  forces  ; 
and  from  thence,  with  a  certain  number  of  men-at-arms, 
of  whom  Lord  d’Elbret  was  the  head,  she  went  to 
besiege  the  town  of  Saint  Pierre  le  Moustier  ; 

That,  after  the  Maid  and  her  followers  had  made 
siege  against  the  town  for  some  time,  an  assault  was 
ordered  to  be  made  against  the  town  ;  and  so  it  was 
done,  and  those  who  were  there  did  their  best  to  take  it  ; 
but,  on  account  of  the  great  number  of  people  in  the  town, 
the  great  strength  thereof  and  also  the  great  resistance 
made  by  those  within,  the  French  were  compelled  and 
forced  to  retreat,  for  the  reasons  aforesaid  ;  and  at  that 
time,  the  Deponent  was  wounded  by  a  shot  in  the  heel, 
so  that  without  crutches  he  could  neither  keep  up  nor 
walk  :  he  noticed  that  the  Maid  was  left  accompanied 
by  very  few  of  her  own  people  and  others  ;  and  the 
Deponent,  fearing  that  trouble  would  follow  therefrom, 
mounted  a  horse,  and  went  immediately  to  her  aid, 
asking  her  what  she  was  doing  there  alone  and  why  she 
did  not  retreat  like  the  others.  She,  after  taking  her 
helmet  [“  salade  ”]  from  her  head,  replied  that  she  was 
not  alone,  and  that  she  had  yet  in  her  company  fifty 
thousand  of  her  people,  and  that  she  would  not  leave 
until  she  had  taken  the  town  ; 

And  the  Deponent  saith  that,  at  that  time— whatever 
she  might  say — she  had  not  with  her  more  than  four 
or  five  men,  and  this  he  knows  most  certainly,  and  many 
others  also,  who  in  like  manner  saw  her;  for  which  cause 
he  told  her  again  that  she  must  leave  that  place,  and 
retire  as  the  others  did.  And  then  she  told  him  to  have 
faggots  and  hurdles  brought  to  make  a  bridge  over  the 
trenches  of  the  town,  in  order  that  they  might  ap¬ 
proach  it  the  better.  And  as  she  said  these  words  to  him, 


DEPOSITIONS  AT  ROUEN:  1455-6  319 

she  cried  in  aloud  voice:  “Every  one  to  the  faggots 
and  hurdles,  to  make  the  bridge!”  which  was  imme¬ 
diately  after  done  and  prepared,  at  which  the  Deponent 
did  much  marvel,  for  immediately  the  town  was  taken 
by  assault,  without  very  great  resistance  ; 

That,  all  the  deeds  of  the  Maid  seemed  to  him 
to  be  more  divine  and  miraculous  than  otherwise, 
and  that  it  was  not  possible  for  so  young  a  Maid  to 
do  such  things  without  the  Will  and  Guidance  of  Our 
Lord  ; 

Also  that,  for  the  space  of  a  whole  year,  by  command 
of  our  Lord  the  King,  he  remained  in  the  company  of 
the  Maid,  during  which  time  he  neither  saw  nor  knew 
of  anything  in  her  which  should  not  be  in  a  good 
Christian  ;  and  he  has  always  seen  and  known  her  to  be 
of  very  good  life  and  modest  conversation  in  all  and 
every  one  of  her  acts  ; 

Also  that,  he  knew  the  Maid  to  be  most  devout  ;  that 
she  shewed  herself  very  reverent  in  hearing  the  Divine 
Service  of  our  Lord,  which  she  would  constantly  hear, 
that  is  to  say,  High  Mass,  on  solemn  days,  wherever 
she  was,  with  the  Hours  following  ;  and  on  other  days 
Low  Mass  ;  and  that  she  was  accustomed  to  hear  Mass 
daily  if  it  were  possible  ; 

That,  many  times  he  saw  and  knew  that  she  con¬ 
fessed  herself  and  received  Our  Lord,  and  did  all  that 
belongs  to  a  good  Christian  to  do,  and  that,  never  when 
he  was  conversing  with  her,  did  he  hear  her  swear, 
blaspheme,  or  perjure  the  Name  of  Our  Lord,  nor  the 
Saints,  for  whatever  cause  or  occasion  it  might  be  ; 

And  that,  in  his  opinion,  she  was  a  good  Christian, 
and  must  have  been  inspired  ;  for  she  loved  everything 
that  a  good  Christian  ought  to  love,  and  especially  she 
loved  a  good  honest  man  [“  bon  prudhomme  ”]  whom  she 
knew  to  be  of  chaste  life  ;  .  .  .  Also  that,  when  the  Maid 
had  anything  to  do  for  the  conduct  of  war,  she  told 


320  JEANNE  D’ARC 

the  Deponent  that  her  Counsel  had  advised  her  what  she 
ought  to  do  ; 

That,  he  asked  her  who  was  the  Counsel,  and  that 
she  replied  there  were  three  Counsellors,  of  whom 
one  always  remained  with  her  ;  another  went  away,  but 
came  often,  to  visit  her  ;  and  the  third  was  he  with  whom 
the  two  others  consulted.  And  it  happened  that,  one 
time,  among  others,  the  Deponent  prayed  and  besought 
her  that  she  would  shew  him  the  Counsel  ;  to  whom 
she  replied  that  he  was  not  worthy,  nor  of  sufficient 
virtue  to  see  them  :  and  upon  this  the  Deponent  desisted 
from  speaking  or  asking  her  further  about  them  ; 

And  the  Deponent  firmly  believes  as  aforesaid,  that, 
considering  the  deeds,  actions  and  great  leadership 
of  the  Maid,  she  was  full  of  all  the  virtue  which  might 
or  should  be  in  a  good  Christian  ; 

And  thus  he  hath  deposed,  as  is  above  written,  without 
love,  favour,  hate,  or  suborning,  but  for  the  truth,  and 
as  he  knew  it  to  be  in  the  Maid. 


SENTENCE  OF  REHABILITATION. 


In  the  name  of  the  Holy  and  Undivided  Trinity, 
Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  Amen  ! 

The  Providence  of  the  Eternal  Majesty,  the  Saviour 
Christ,  Lord  God  and  Man,  hath  instituted,  for  the  rule 
of  His  Church  Militant,  the  Blessed  Peter,  and  his 
Apostolic  Successors  ;  He  hath  made  them  His  principal 
representatives,  and  charged  them,  by  the  light  of  truth, 
which  He  hath  manifested  to  them,  to  teach  men  how 
to  walk  in  the  paths  of  justice,  protecting  the  good, 
relieving  the  oppressed  in  the  whole  universe,  and, 
by  a  reasonable  judgment,  bringing  back  into  the  right 
road  those  who  have  turned  therefrom  : 

Invested  with  this  Apostolic  authority  for  the  matter 
in  question,  we  Jean  of  Rheims,  Guillaume  of  Paris,  and 
Richard  of  Coutances,  by  the  Grace  of  God  Archbishop 
and  Bishops,  and  Jean  Bréhal,  of  the  Order  of  Saint 
Dominic,  Professor  of  Sacred  Theology,  one  of  the  two 
Inquisitors  of  the  Heretical  Evil  for  the  Realm  of 
France,  all  four  Judges  specially  delegated  by  our  most 
Holy  Lord  the  Pope  actually  reigning  : 

Having  seen  the  solemn  Process  brought  before  us, 
by  virtue  of  the  Apostolic  Mandate  addressed  to  us,  and 
by  us  respectfully  accepted  : 

In  the  Case  concerning  the  honest  woman,  Widow 
Isabelle  d’Arc,  mother,  Pierre  and  Jean  d’Arc,  brothers 


Y 


322 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


german,  natural  and  legal,  of  the  deceased  Jeanne  d’Arc, 
of  good  memory,  commonly  called  the  Maid  : 

The  said  Case  brought  in  their  name, 

Against  the  Sub- Inquisitor  of  the  Heretical  Evil  for 
the  Diocese  of  Beauvais,  the  Promoter  of  the  Officiality 
of  the  said  Diocese  of  Beauvais,  and  also  the  Reverend 
Father  in  Christ  and  Lord  Guillaume  de  Hellande, 
Bishop  of  Beauvais,  and  against  all  others  and  each  in 
particular  who  might  be  thought  to  be  therein  interested, 
all  together  respectively  Defendants,  as  well  conjointly  as 
separately  : 

Having  seen,  in  the  first  place,  the  peremptory 
citation  and  the  execution  of  this  citation  made  against 
the  said  Defendants,  at  the  request  not  only  of  the  said 
Plaintiffs  but  of  the  Promoter  of  our  Office  appointed 
by  us,  sworn  and  created,  to  the  end  that  the  said 
Defendants  might  see  the  carrying  out  of  the  said 
Rescript,  hear  the  conclusions  against  them,  and  answer 
themselves  ;  and  to  proceed,  in  one  word,  according 
to  right  : 

Having  seen  the  request  of  the  said  Plaintiffs,  their 
deeds,  reasons,  and  conclusion  set  down  in  writing  under 
the  form  of  Articles,  putting  forward  a  declaration  of 
nullity,  of  iniquity,  and  of  cozenage  against  a  certain 
Process  in  a  pretended  Trial  for  the  Faith,  formerly 
done  and  executed  in  this  city  against  the  above-named 
woman,  now  deceased,  by  the  late  Lord  Pierre  Cauchon, 
then  Bishop  of  Beauvais,  Jean  Lemaître,  then  Vice- 
Inquisitor  of  the  said  Diocese  of  Beauvais,  and  Jean 
d’Estivet,  Promoter,  or  having  at  least  acted  in  this 
capacity  ;  the  said  request  putting  forward  and  inferring 
further  the  breaking  down  and  annulling  of  the  Process 
in  question  and  of  all  which  followed  it,  to  the  justifi¬ 
cation  of  the  said  Deceased,  and  to  all  the  other  ends 
therein  enumerated  : 

Having  seen,  read,  re-read  and  examined  the 


SENTENCE  OF  REHABILITATION 


323 


original  books,  instruments,  means,  acts,  notes  and 
protocols  of  the  said  Process,  shewn  and  sent  to  us,  in 
virtue  of  the  compulsory  letters,  by  the  Registrars  and 
others  whose  signatures  and  writings  have  been,  as  a 
preliminary,  acknowledged  in  our  presence  : 

After  having  studied  at  length  all  these  documents, 
not  only  with  the  said  Registrars  and  other  officials 
appointed  in  the  said  Process,  but  also  with  those  of  the 
Counsellors  who  were  called  to  the  same  Process,  those, 
at  least,  whom  we  have  been  able  to  bring  before  us  : 

And  after  having  ourselves  collated  and  compared  the 
final  text,  with  the  Minute  itself  of  the  said  Process  : 

Having  considered  also  the  Preparatory  Enquiries, — 
first,  those  which  were  conducted  by  the  Most  Reverend 
Father  in  Christ  the  Lord  Guillaume,  Cardinal  Priest 
under  the  title  of  Saint-Martin-les-Monts,1  then  Legate 
of  the  Holy  Apostolic  See  in  the  Kingdom  of  France, 
assisted  by  the  Inquisitor,  after  the  examination  which 
had  been  made  by  the  said  Cardinal- Legate  of  the  books 
and  instruments  then  presented  : 

Having  afterwards  considered  the  Preparatory  Enquiry 
conducted  at  the  beginning  of  the  actual  Process  by  us  or 
our  Commissaries  : 

Having  considered  also  divers  treatises2  which  had 
come  from  the  Prelates,  Doctors,  and  men  of  learning, 
the  most  celebrated  and  the  most  authorized,  who,  after 
having  studied  at  length  the  books  and  instruments  of 
the  said  Process,  have  separated  from  these  books  and 
instruments  the  doubtful  points  which  they  would  have 
to  elucidate  in  their  said  treatises  composed  afterwards 
and  brought  to  light,  whether  by  the  order  of  the  most 
Reverend  Father  aforesaid  or  of  us  : 

Having  considered  the  Articles  and  Interrogations  to 
be  submitted  to  the  witnesses,  presented  to  us  in  the 

1  Guillaume  d’Estouteville  :  Enquiry  of  1452. 

2  See  Appendix  :  Note  on  Documents  of  Rehabilitation  Enquiry  :  p.  332. 

Y  2 


324 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


name  of  the  Plaintiffs  and  of  our  Promoter,  and  after 
many  citations  admitted  in  proof  by  us  : 

Having  considered  the  depositions  and  attestations  of 
the  witnesses  heard  on  the  subject  of  the  said  Articles 
and  Interrogations  on  the  life  of  the  said  Deceased  in 
the  place  of  her  birth  ; — on  her  departure  ;  on  her  ex¬ 
amination  before  several  Prelates,  Doctors,  and  others 
having  knowledge  thereof,  in  presence  notably  of  the 
Most  Reverend  Father  Reginald,  then  Archbishop  of 
Rheims  and  Metropolitan  of  the  said  Bishop  of  Beauvais  : 
an  examination  made  at  Poitiers  and  elsewhere,  on 
several  occasions  ;  on  the  marvellous  deliverance  of  the 
city  of  Orleans  ;  on  the  journey  to  the  city  of  Rheims 
and  the  coronation  of  the  King  ;  and  the  divers  circum¬ 
stances  of  the  Trial,  the  qualifications,  the  judges,  and 
the  manner  of  proceeding  : 

Having  considered  also  letters,  instruments,  and 
measures,  besides  the  letters,  depositions  and  attestations 
just  mentioned,  sent  to  us  and  produced  in  the  course  of 
law  : 

Having  afterwards  heard  our  Promoter,  who,  con¬ 
sidering  these  productions  and  these  sayings,  declares 
himself  fully  joined  with  the  Plaintiffs  : 

Having  heard  the  other  requests  and  reserves  made 
by  our  Promoter,  in  his  own  name  as  well  as  in  that  of 
the  Plaintiffs,  the  said  requests  and  reserves  admitted  by 
us  and  received  at  the  same  time  as  certain  reasons  of  law 
briefly  formulated,  of  a  nature  also  to  impress  our  minds  : 

After  the  Case  had  been  concluded,  in  the  Name  of 
Christ,  and  this  day  had  been  assigned  by  us  to  give 
sentence  : 

After  having,  with  great  matureness,  weighed,  ex¬ 
amined,  all  and  each  one  of  the  aforesaid  things,  as  well 
as  certain  Articles  beginning  with  these  words  “  A 
certain  Woman,  &C.,”1  which  the  Judges  in  the  first 
1  Viz.,  the  Twelve  Articles. 


SENTENCE  OF  REHABILITATION  325 

Process  did  pretend  to  have  extracted  from  the  con¬ 
fessions  of  the  said  Deceased,  and  which  have  been 
submitted  by  us  to  a  great  number  of  staid  persons 
for  their  opinion  ;  Articles  which  our  Promoter,  as  well 
as  the  Plaintiffs  aforesaid,  attacked  as  iniquitous,  false, 
prepared  without  reference  to  the  confessions  of  Jeanne, 
and  in  a  lying  manner  : 

That  our  present  Judgment  may  come  as  from  the  Face 
of  God  Himself,  Who  weigheth  the  spirits,  Who  alone 
infallibly  knoweth  His  revelations,  and  doth  hold  them 
always  at  their  true  value,  Who  bloweth  where  He 
listeth,  and  doth  often  choose  the  weak  to  confound  the 
strong,  never  forsaking  those  who  trust  in  Him,  but  being 
their  Support  in  their  sorrows  and  their  tribulations  : 

After  having  had  ripe  deliberation,  as  much  on  the 
subject  of  the  Preparatory  Enquiries  as  on  the  decision 
itself,  with  persons  at  the  same  time  expert,  authorized, 
and  prudent  : 

Having  considered  their  solemn  decisions,  formulated 
in  the  treatises  written  out  in  a  compendious  manner, 
and  in  numerous  consultations  : 

Having  considered  their  opinion,  written  or  verbal, 
furnished  and  given,  not  only  on  the  form  but  also  on 
the  basis  of  the  Process,  and  according  to  which  the 
actions  of  the  said  Deceased,  being  worthy  of  admiration 
rather  than  of  condemnation,  the  judgment  given  against 
her  should,  in  form  as  well  as  in  basis,  be  reprehended 
and  detested  : 

And  because  on  the  question  of  revelations  it  is  most 
difficult  to  furnish  a  certain  judgment,  the  Blessed 
Paul  having,  on  the  subject  of  his  own  revelations,  said 
that  he  knew  not  if  they  came  to  him  in  body  or  in 
spirit,  and  having  on  this  point  referred  himself  to  God  : 

In  the  first  place,  we  say,  and,  because  Justice  requires 
it,  we  declare,  that  the  Articles  beginning  with  the  words 
“  A  woman,”  which  are  found  inserted  in  the  pretended 


326 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


Process  and  Instrument  of  the  pretended  sentences, 
lodged  against  the  said  Deceased,  ought  to  have  been, 
have  been,  and  are,  extracted  from  the  said  pretended 
Process  and  the  said  pretended  confessions  of  the  said 
Deceased,  with  corruption,  cozenage,  calumny,  fraud 
and  malice  : 

We  declare,  that  on  certain  points  the  truth  of  her 
confessions  has  been  passed  over  in  silence  ;  that  on 
other  points  her  confessions  have  been  falsely  translated 
— a  double  unfaithfulness,  by  which,  had  it  been 
prevented,  the  mind  of  the  Doctors  consulted  and  the 
Judges  might  have  been  led  to  a  different  opinion  : 

We  declare,  that  in  these  Articles  there  have  been 
added  without  right  many  aggravating  circumstances, 
which  are  not  in  the  aforesaid  Confessions,  and  many 
circumstances  both  relevant  and  justifying  have  been 
passed  over  in  silence  : 

We  declare,  that  even  the  form  of  certain  words  has 
been  altered,  in  such  manner  as  to  change  the  substance  : 

For  the  which,  these  same  Articles,  as  falsely, 
calumniously,  and  deceitfully  extracted,  and  as  contrary 
even  to  the  Confessions  of  the  Accused,  we  break, 
annihilate,  and  annul  ;  and,  after  they  shall  have  been 
detached  from  the  Process  we  ordain,  by  this  present 
judgment,  that  they  be  torn  up  : 

In  the  second  place,  after  having  examined  with  great 
care  the  other  parts  of  the  same  said  Process — particularly 
the  two  sentences  which  the  Process  contained,  designated 
by  the  Judges  as  “Lapse”  and  “  Relapse” — and  after 
having  also  for  a  long  time  weighed  the  qualifications 
of  the  Judges  and  of  all  those  under  whom  and  in  whose 
keeping  the  said  Jeanne  was  detained  : 

We  say,  pronounce,  decree,  and  declare,  the  said 
Processes  and  Sentences  full  of  cozenage,  iniquity,  incon¬ 
sequences,  and  manifest  errors,  in  fact  as  well  as  in  law  ; 
We  say  that  they  have  been,  are,  and  shall  be — as  well 


SENTENCE  OF  REHABILITATION  327 


as  the  aforesaid  Abjuration,  their  execution,  and  all  that 
followed— null,  non-existent,  without  value  or  effect. 

Nevertheless,  in  so  far  as  is  necessary,  and  as  reason 
doth  command  us,  we  break  them,  annihilate  them, 
annul  them,  and  declare  them  void  of  effect  ;  and  we 
declare  that  the  said  Jeanne  and  her  relatives,  Plaintiffs 
in  the  actual  Process,  have  not,  on  account  of  the  said 
Trial,  contracted  nor  incurred  any  mark  or  stigma  of 
infamy  ;  we  declare  them  quit  and  purged  of  all  the 
consequences  of  these  same  Processes  ;  we  declare  them, 
in  so  far  as  is  necessary,  entirely  purged  thereof  by  this 
present  : 

We  ordain  that  the  execution  and  solemn  publication 
of  our  present  Sentence  shall  take  place  immediately  in 
this  city,  in  two  different  places,  to  wit, 

To-day  in  the  Square  of  Saint  Ouen,  after  a  General 
Procession  and  a  public  Sermon  : 

To-morrow,  at  the  Old  Market-Place,  in  the  same  place 
where  the  said  Jeanne  was  suffocated  by  a  cruel  and 
horrible  fire,  also  with  a  General  Preaching  and  with  the 
placing  of  a  handsome  cross  for  the  perpetual  memory 
of  the  Deceased  and  for  her  salvation  and  that  of  other 
deceased  persons  : 

We  declare  that  we  reserve  to  ourselves  [the  power] 
later  on  to  execute,  publish,  and  for  the  honour  of  her 
memory  to  signify  with  acclaim,  our  said  sentence  in  the 
cities  and  other  well-known  places  of  the  kingdom  wher¬ 
ever  we  shall  find  it  well  [so  to  do],  under  the  reserves, 
finally,  of  all  other  formalities  which  may  yet  remain  to 
be'done. 

This  present  Sentence  hath  been  brought  out,  read 
and  promulgated  by  the  Lords  Judges,  in  presence  of 
the  Reverend  Father  in  Christ  the  Lord  Bishop  of 
Démétriade,  of  Hector  de  Coquerel,  Nicolas  du  Boys, 
Alain  Olivier,  Jean  du  Bec,  Jean  de  Gouys,  Guillaume 


328 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


Roussel,  Laurent  Surreau,  Canons  ;  of  Martin  Ladvenu, 
Jean  Roussel,  and  Thomas  de  Fanouillères. 

Maître  Simon  Chapitault,  Promoter  ;  Jean  d’Arc  and 
Prevosteau  for  the  other  a  Plaintiffs. 

Done  at  Rouen  in  the  I  Archiépiscopal  Palace,  in 
the  year  of  our  Lord  1456,  |  the  7th  day  of  the  month 
of  June. 


THE  HÔTEL  DE  VILLE  :  COMPÏEGNE. 


APPENDIX 


APPENDIX 


NOTE  ON  ORIGINAL  DOCUMENTS  OF  THE 
PROCESS  OF  CONDEMNATION 


1.  The  Minute. 

The  original  French  notes  of  the  Trial,  taken  down  at  the 
time  by  the  Registrars,  formed  the  material  on  which  the 
Authentic  Document  was  subsequently  based.  A  part  of  this 
original  MS.  is  still  in  existence  in  the  National  Library  at 
Paris,  and  is  known  as  the  ‘  MS.  D’Urfé.’  It  begins  with 
March  3rd,  the  day  of  the  last  Public  Examination,  and  is 
apparently  in  the  handwriting  of  Manchon,  the  Registrar,  who 
had  the  whole  in  his  own  possession  at  the  time  of  the  Trial  of 
Rehabilitation.  The  Fragment  was  discovered  among  the 
MSS.  of  the  D’Urfé  Library  in  the  reign  of  Louis  XVI.  by 
Laverdy. 

2.  The  Authentic  Document. 

This  was  the  original  Latin  translation  of  the  Minute,  made 
by  Thomas  de  Courcelles,  signed  by  the  Registrars,  and  attested 
by  the  seals  of  the  two  Judges.  No  trace  of  this  first  document 
can  be  found  ;  but  the  Bishop  of  Beauvais  caused  five  complete 
and  legally  attested  copies  to  be  made,  three  of  these  being  in  the 
writing  of  Manchon,  the  Registrar,  of  which  there  are  still  in  exist¬ 
ence,  (1)  Copy  made  for  the  King  of  England,  now  in  the  Library 
of  the  Corps  Législatif  in  Paris  ;  (2)  Copy  for  the  Bishop  of 
Beauvais,  formerly  in  the  Colbert  Library  ;  and  (3)  Copy  for  the 
Inquisitor,  formerly  in  the  Dupuy  Library — the  last  two  being 
now  in  the  National  Library  at  Paris.  The  two  other  copies  are 
lost,  one  having  been  sent  to  the  Pope,  whilst  the  other  was 
the  property  of  Manchon  himself. 

Besides  these  Original  Documents,  there  are  also  seven  copies 
of  the  Process,  of  different  dates  :  five  in  the  National  Library, 
one  in  the  Vatican,  and  one  at  Geneva. 


332  JEANNE  D’ARC 

NOTE  ON  THE  DOCUMENTS  CONNECTED  WITH 
THE  TRIAL  OF  REHABILITATION 

In  the  Preface  to  the  Authentic  Document  of  the  Rehabilita¬ 
tion,  the  Notaries,  Denis  Lecomte  and  François  Ferrebouc,  state 
that  they  have  prepared  under  their  seals  three  copies  of  the 
Process  of  Rehabilitation,  one  containing  also  the  entire  Process 
of  the  Trial  of  Condemnation  :  this  Copy  is  unfortunately  lost. 
The  two  still  in  existence,  both  in  the  National  Library  of  Paris, 
contain  only  the  text  of  the  Trial  of  1455-6.  In  one  of  these 
Manuscripts  are  inserted  the  Eight  Memorials  presented  to  the 
Holy  See  in  favour  of  Jeanne. 

The  Second  Manuscript  contains  only  the  Memorial  of  Gerson. 
Other  Documents  connected  with  the  Enquiries  may  be  found 
in  Quicherat,  Vol.  II.,  and  in  Lanery  d’Arc’s  Mémoires  et  Con¬ 
sultations  en  faveur  de  Jeanne  d’ Arc,  the  most  important  being 
the  Opiniofis  of  sundry  learned  Doctors  given  in  1452,  and  the 
Recollectio  of  Jean  Bréhal  in  1456. 


INTRODUCTORY  NOTE  TO  THE  TRIAL 

In  order  to  understand  more  fully  the  course  of  events  in  the 
last  year  of  Jeanne’s  life,  it  may  be  well  to  give  in  some  detail 
the  story  of  her  capture  at  Compiègne  on  May  23rd,  1430,  and 
of  the  negotiations  and  legal  preliminaries  which  preceded  the 
opening  of  the  Case  in  the  following  February.  Strangely 
enough,  there  is  in  the  Trial  of  Rehabilitation  absolutely  no 
witness  to  this  period.  It  may  therefore  be  more  satisfactory 
to  quote  at  some  length  from  the  contemporary  Chronicles, 
which,  as  regards  the  Capture  itself,  are  fortunately  very 
explicit. 

In  the  early  dawn  of  Tuesday,  May  23rd,  Jeanne  started  from 
Crespy  with  about  400  followers  to  reinforce  the  garrison  of 
Compiègne,  then  besieged  by  the  combined  forces  of  England 
and  Burgundy.  Of  the  events  of  that  day  there  is  no  better 
account  than  that  given  in  the  Chronicle  of  Percival  de  Cagny,1 
which  reads  as  follows  : — 

‘  The  23rd  day  of  the  month  of  May,  the  Maid,  being  in  the 
said  place  of  Crespy,  learned  that  the  Duke  of  Burgundy,2  with 

1  Chronicles  of  the  Dukes  of  Alençon. 

2  Philip  the  Good,  son  of  Jean  Sans-Peur,  the  Duke  murdered  at  the 
Bridge  of  Montereau  in  1418  by  the  Armagnac  faction;  he  was  conse¬ 
quently  an  ally  of  England.  Anne,  his  sister,  married  John,  Duke  of  Bedford. 
Efforts  were  constantly  made  by  both  sides  to  secure  the  sympathies  of  so 
powerful  an  ally  ;  but  after  the  death  of  his  sister  in  1432,  the  Duke’s  attach¬ 
ment  to  the  English  cause  waned  ;  and  in  1435,  a  week  after  the  death  of 
Bedford,  he  made  peace  with  Charles  VII.,  and  signed  the  Treaty  of  Arras, 
which  practically  restored  France  to  the  King.  He  died  in  1467,  and  was 
succeeded  by  his  son  Charles  the  Bold. 


APPENDIX 


333 


a  great  number  of  men-at-arms  and  others,  and  the  Earl  of 
Arundel,  had  come  to  besiege  the  said  town  of  Compiègne. 
About  midnight  she  departed  from  the  said  place  of  Crespy,  in 
the  company  of  300  or  400  fighting  men.  And  although  her 
followers  said  to  her,  that  she  had  too  few  people  with  her 
to  pass  through  the  army  of  the  Burgundians  and  of  the 
English,  she  exclaimed  :  “  By  my  staff  !  [ Par  mon  martin  /] 
we  are  enough  ;  I  am  going  to  see  my  good  friends  of 
Compiègne.” 

‘  She  arrived  at  the  said  place  about  sunrise,  and,  without  loss 
or  disturbance  either  to  herself  or  to  her  followers,  she  entered 
the  said  town.  On  the  same  day  the  Burgundians  and  English 
had  come  to  make  an  assault  in  the  field  before  the  said  town. 
There  were  done  many  feats  of  arms  on  the  one  side  and  on  the 
other.  The  Burgundians  and  English,  knowing  that  the  Maid 
was  in  the  town,  thought  that  those  within  would  sally  forth  in 
great  strength,  and  for  this  the  Burgundians  placed  a  strong 
ambush  of  their  followers  under  cover  of  a  lofty  mountain  near 
by,  named  the  Mount  of  Clairoy.  And,  about  nine  in  the 
morning,  the  Maid  heard  that  the  assault  was  hot  and  fierce  in 
the  field  before  the  said  town.  She  armed  herself  and  her 
followers,  mounted  on  horseback,  and  went  to  join  the  mêlée. 
And  no  sooner  was  she  come  than  the  enemy  turned  back  and 
were  put  to  flight.  The  Maid  charged  hard  upon  the  flank  of 
the  Burgundians.  Those  in  ambush  gave  warning  to  their 
followers,  who  turned  back  in  great  disorder,  and  then,  breaking 
up  their  ambuscade,  they  spurred  on  to  place  themselves 
between  the  town-bridge  and  the  Maid  and  her  company.  And 
the  one  part  of  them  turned  right  on  the  Maid  in  such  force 
that  those  of  her  company  could  not  withstand  them,  and  said 
to  the  Maid,  “  Strive  hard  to  regain  the  town,  or  you  and  we  are 
lost.” 

‘  When  the  Maid  heard  them  speak  thus,  she  cried  to  them, 
angrily,  “  Silence  !  It  only  depends  on  you  to  discomfit  them. 
Think  only  of  striking  them  down.”  But  whatsoever  she  might 
say,  these  people  would  not  believe  it,  and  forcibly  compelled 
her  to  withdraw  to  the  bridge.  And  when  the  Burgundians  and 
English  saw  that  she  was  returning  to  the  town,  they,  by 
supreme  effort,  reached  the  end  of  the  bridge.  And  great  feats 
of  arms  were  done  there.  The  captain  of  the  place,  seeing  vast 
multitudes  of  Burgundians  and  English  about  to  cross  the  bridge, 
for  the  fear  that  he  had  of  the  loss  of  the  place,  commanded  the 
bridge  of  the  town  to  be  raised  and  the  gates  closed.  And  there 
remained  the  Maid  hemmed  in  without,  and  few  of  her 
followers  with  her.  When  her  enemies  saw  this,  all  made 
effort  to  seize  her.  She  resisted  stoutly  against  them,  but  in 
the  end  was  taken  by  five  or  six  acting  together,  some  laying 


334 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


hands  on  her,  others  on  her  horse,  and  each  saying,  “  Surrender 
to  me  and  give  parole.”  She  answered  and  said,  “  I  have  sworn 
and  given  my  parole  to  Another  than  you,  and  to  Him  will  I 
give  my  oath.”  And,  saying  these  words,  she  was  taken  to  the 
lodging  of  Messire  Jehan  de  Luxembourg. 

‘  Messire  Jehan  de  Luxembourg  1  had  her  kept  in  his  lodging 
for  three  or  four  days  ;  and,  after  that,  he  remained  at  the  siege 
of  the  said  town  and  had  the  Maid  sent  to  a  castle  named 
Beaulieu,  in  Vermandois.  And  there  was  she  kept  prisoner 
during  the  space  of  four  months  or  thereabouts.  After  this,  the 
said  de  Luxembourg,  by  means  of  the  Bishop  of  Thérouanne,2 
his  brother,  and  Chancellor  of  France  for  the  English  King, 
delivered  her  to  the  Duke  of  Bedford,  Lieutenant  in  France  for 
the  King  of  England,  his  nephew,  for  the  price  of  fifteen  or 
sixteen  thousand  saluts  [the  salut  being  worth  about  ^i]  paid 
to  the  said  de  Luxembourg.  Thus  was  the  Maid  put  into  the 
hands  of  the  English  and  taken  to  the  Castle  of  Rouen,  at 
which  the  said  Duke  then  held  his  residence.  She  being  in 
prison  in  the  said  Castle  of  Beaulieu,  he  who  had  been  her 
steward  3  before  her  capture,  and  who  served  her  in  prison,  said 
to  her,  “  That  poor  town  of  Compiègne,  which  you  have  so  much 
loved  up  to  this  time,  will  fall  again  into  the  hands  and  the 
power  of  the  enemies  of  France  !  ” 

‘  And  she  answered  him,  “  It  will  not  be,  for  all  the  places 
which  the  King  of  Heaven  hath  subdued  and  put  into  the  hands 
and  jurisdiction  of  the  gentle  King  Charles  by  my  means,  will 
not  be  retaken  by  his  enemies,  so  long  as  he  will  take  pains  to 
keep  them.”  ’ 

The  following  additional  details  in  regard  to  the  Capture  of 
the  Maid  are  taken  from  George  Chatellain’s  Histoire  de  Philippe 
Le  Bon  : — ‘  The  Maid,  passing  the  nature  of  woman,  did  bear 

1  Jean  de  Luxembourg,  Sire  de  Luxembourg  and  de  Choques,  nephew  of 
the  Constable  Waleran  de  Luxembourg.  A  captain  of  Free-Lances  in  the 
service  of  the  Duke  of  Burgundy,  afterwards  Count  de  Ligny  and  Guise, 
and  a  knight  of  the  Toison  d’Or.  He  remained  true  to  the  English,  even 
after  his  chief  had  made  terms  with  Charles,  and  died  in  1441,  still  obstinately 
refusing  to  recognize  the  Treaty  of  Arras. 

2  Louis  de  Luxembourg,  Bishop  of  Thérouanne,  1414,  and  Chancellor  of 
France  for  Henry  VI.,  1425,  surnamed  “Le  Renard”;  afterwards  Arch¬ 
bishop  of  Rouen,  Bishop  of  Hély,  and  Cardinal.  A  warm  adherent  of  the 
English  cause,  and  a  consistent  supporter  of  Bedford  and  Warwick.  It  was 
he  who  received  information  of  the  capture  of  Jeanne  on  May  25th,  and 
himself  went  with  the  news  to  the  Parliament.  When  the  tide  turned,  and 
Charles  VII.  was  able  to  establish  himself  in  his  kingdom,  the  Bishop  retired 
to  England,  and  there  died,  1443. 

3  Jean  D’Aulon.  Formerly  a  squire  in  the  service  of  the  King,  appointed 
Chief  of  Jeanne’s  Household  by  Charles  VII.,  in  1428.  He  remained 
with  her  from  that  time  till  her  capture  at  Compiègne  ;  was  taken  prisoner 
with  her,  and  carried  to  Beaulieu,  but  was  ransomed  during  the  autumn. 
He  was  afterwards  knighted,  and  made  Seneschal  of  Beaucaire. 


APPENDIX 


335 


great  weight,  and  took  much  pains  to  preserve  her  company 
from  loss,  remaining  in  the  rear  as  becomes  the  chief  and  as  the 
most  valiant  of  the  troop,  when  fortune  did  so  permit,  for  the 
ending  of  her  glory  and  for  the  last  time  that  ever  she  should 
bear  arms.  An  archer,  a  hard  man  and  very  churlish,  having 
great  spite  that  a  woman  of  whom  he  had  heard  so  much  talk 
should  drive  back  so  many  valiant  men  as  she  had  done, 
caught  her  from  one  side  by  her  surcoat  of  cloth-of-gold, 
and  dragged  her  from  her  horse  to  the  ground  :  she  could  find 
neither  rescue  nor  help  from  her  followers  that  she  might 
be  remounted,  notwithstanding  the  pains  they  took.  But  a 
man-at-arms,  named  the  Bastard  de  Wandonne,1  who  arrived 
just  as  she  fell,  pressed  her  so  closely  that  she  gave  him  her 
parole,  for  that  he  said  he  was  a  man  of  noble  birth.  The  which 
man-at-arms,  more  joyful  than  if  he  had  gotten  a  king  into 
his  hands,  took  her  hastily  to  Marigny,  and  there  kept  her  under 
guard  till  the  end  of  the  affair.  And  there  were  taken  also  with 
her,  Pouthon  the  Burgundian,  a  gentleman-at-arms  of  the 
French  party  ;  the  brother  of  the  Maid  ;  her  steward  ;  and  certain 
others,  in  small  numbers,  who  were  taken  to  Marigny  and  held 
in  safe  keeping.’ 

On  the  same  day,  the  Duke  of  Burgundy  wrote  the  following 
letter  to  the  people  of  Saint  Quentin  : — 

‘  By  order  of  the  Duke  of  Burgundy,  Count  of  Flanders,  Artois, 
Burgundy,  and  Namur. 

‘  Very  dear  and  well-beloved,  knowing  that  you  desire  to  have 
news  of  us,  we  signify  to  you  that  this  day,  the  23rd  May, 
towards  six  o’clock  in  the  afternoon,  the  adversaries  of  our  Lord 
the  King  [Henry  VI.]  and  of  us,  who  were  assembled  together  in 
great  power,  and  entrenched  in  the  town  of  Compiègne,  before 
which  we  and  the  men  of  our  army  were  quartered,  have  made  a 
sally  from  the  said  town  in  force  on  the  quarters  of  our  advanced 
guard  nearest  to  them,  in  the  which  sally  was  she  whom  they  call 
the  Maid,  with  many  of  their  principal  captains.  In  the  en¬ 
counter  with  whom,  our  fair  cousin,  Messire  Jehan  de  Luxem¬ 
bourg,  who  was  there  present,  and  others  of  our  people,  and 
some  of  the  people  of  our  Lord  the  King  whom  he  had  sent 
before  us  to  pass  over  to  Paris,  made  great  and  bitter  resistance. 
And  presently  we  arrived  in  person  and  found  that  the  said  adver¬ 
saries  were  already  driven  back,  and  by  the  pleasure  of  our 
blessed  Creator,  it  had  so  happened  and  such  grace  had  been 
granted  to  us,  that  the  said  Maid  had  been  taken  ;  and  with  her 

1  Lionel  Bastard  de  Wandonne  ;  now  Wandomme ,  a  castle  in  Artois  ;  a 
captain  in  the  service  of  Jean  de  Luxembourg,  to  whom  the  Maid  finally 
surrendered  at  Compiègne.  For  his  share  of  the  reward  he  received  300 
pounds  rente.  He  was  afterwards  Count  de  Nesle  and  Beaulieu,  in  Ver- 
mandois. 


336 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


many  captains,  knights,  squires  and  others  were  taken,  drowned, 
and  killed,  of  whom  to  this  hour  we  yet  know  not  the  names, 
only  that  none  of  our  followers  nor  the  followers  of  my  Lord 
the  King  are  either  killed  or  taken,  and  that  only  twenty  are 
wounded,  thanks  to  God.  The  which  capture,  as  we  certainly 
hold,  will  be  great  news  everywhere  ;  and  by  it  will  be  recognized 
the  error  and  foolish  belief  of  all  those  who  have  shewn  them¬ 
selves  well-disposed  and  favourable  to  the  doings  of  the  said 
woman.  And  this  thing  we  write  for  our  news,  hoping  that  in  it 
you  will  have  joy,  comfort,  and  consolation,  and  will  render 
thanks  and  praise  to  our  Creator,  Who  seeth  and  knoweth  all 
things,  and  Who  by  His  blessed  pleasure  will  conduct  the  rest  of 
our  enterprizes  to  the  good  of  our  said  Lord  the  King  and  his 
kingdom,  and  to  the  relief  and  comfort  of  his  good  and  loyal 
subjects. 

‘  Very  dear  and  well-beloved,  the  Holy  Spirit  have  you  in  His 
Holy  Keeping. 

‘Written  at  Codun,  near  Compiègne,  the  23rd  day  of  May. 
Subscribed  :  To  our  very  dear  and  good  friends  the  Clergy, 
citizens  and  inhabitants  of  Saint  Quentin,  in  Vermandois.’ 

In  the  Notes  of  Clement  de  Fauquembergue,  Registrar  of  the 
Parliament  of  Paris,  occurs  the  following  passage  : — ‘  Thursday, 
the  25th  day  of  May,  1430,  Messire  Louis  de  Luxembourg, 
Bishop  of  Thérouanne,  Chancellor  of  France,  received  letters 
from  Messire  Jean  de  Luxembourg,  Knight,  his  brother,  making 
mention,  among  other  things,  that  on  Tuesday  last,  in  a  sally 
made  by  the  captains  and  men-at-arms  of  Messire  Charles  de 
Valois,  then  in  the  town  of  Compiègne,  against  the  people  of 
the  Duke  of  Burgundy,  encamped  and  come  against  the  said 
town  with  the  intention  of  besieging  it,  the  people  of  the  said 
De  Valois  were  in  such  manner  compelled  to  retreat  that  many 
of  them  had  no  time  to  enter  again  into  the  said  town.  And 
many  of  them  threw  themselves  into  the  river  adjacent  to  the 
walls,  to  the  peril  of  their  lives  ;  others  remained  prisoners  of 
the  said  Messire  Jean  de  Luxembourg,  and  the  followers  of  the 
said  Duke  of  Burgundy,  who,  among  others,  seized  and  held 
prisoner  this  woman  whom  the  followers  of  the  said  Messire 
Charles  called  the  Maid.’ 1 

The  news  of  the  Maid’s  capture  was  received  in  Paris  with 
much  rejoicing,2  and  Te  Deums  were  ordered  to  be  sung  in  the 
Churches.  The  University  and  the  Inquisition  at  once  took  up 
the  matter,  and  wrote  on  the  following  day,  May  26th,  to  the 

1  The  much-vexed  question  of  the  date  of  the  Capture  seems  to  be  decided 
by  these  two  last  contemporary  documents.  The  same  date,  May  23rd,  is 
also  given  in  the  Chronicle  of  William  of  Worcester. 

2  The  news,  received  in  the  letter  from  Jean  de  Luxembourg,  was  commu¬ 
nicated  by  his  brother,  the  Bishop  of  Thérouanne,  to  the  Parliament. 


APPENDIX 


337 


Duke  of  Burgundy,  requesting  him  to  claim  the  prisoner  as  a 
heretic  against  the  Church.  Six  weeks  later,  on  July  14th, 
letters  were  sent  from  the  University  both  to  the  Duke  and  to 
Jean  de  Luxembourg  to  the  same  effect.  On  the  same  day, 
Cauchon,  Bishop  of  Beauvais,  acting  for  the  Regent  Bedford, 
arrived  at  the  Burgundian  camp  to  negotiate  for  the  purchase  of 
the  Maid.  He  claimed  her  as  a  prisoner  of  the  Church,  but 
nevertheless  offered  the  usual  ransom  of  a  king,  10,000  livres 
tournois  [about  £16,000  of  our  present  value]. 

The  arrangements  presented,  however,  matters  of  long  deli¬ 
beration.  The  Duke  and  Jean  de  Luxembourg,  whether  from 
scruples  of  conscience  or  in  hope  of  still  higher  ransom  from 
the  party  of  the  King  of  France,  were  in  no  hurry  to  part  with 
their  prisoner.  She  had  been  removed  to  the  Castle  of  Beaulieu 
at  the  end  of  May  ;  and  here  she  remained  until  August,  with 
her  faithful  follower  d’Aulon  still  in  attendance  on  her.  No 
records  remain  of  her  sojourn  ;  but  she  herself  gives  evidence 
at  the  Trial  of  her  attempt  to  escape,  which  was  all  but  success¬ 
ful.  Early  in  August,  she  was  sent  to  Beaurevoir,  where  for  a 
time  she  had  the  society  of  the  wife  and  the  aunt  of  Jean  de 
Luxembourg.  Of  the  latter,  the  Countess  de  Ligny,  she  spoke 
at  the  Trial  in  terms  of  great  affection.  Whilst  at  Beaurevoir, 
she  heard  of  the  negotiations  for  her  delivery  to  the  English. 
In  despair  for  herself,  and  overwhelmed  with  grief  for  the  sorrows 
of  her  beloved  friends  of  Compiègne,  who  were  then  in  great 
straits,  she  threw  herself1  from  the  top  of  the  Keep,  a  height  of 
sixty  feet,  hoping,  as  she  afterwards  said,  at  least  to  escape  from 
her  enemies.  She  was  taken  up,  stunned,  but  not  severely  injured 
by  her  fall,  and  was  kept  in  closer  ward  until,  in  the  middle  of 
November,  the  arrangements  for  her  purchase  were  completed. 
From  Beaurevoir  she  was  removed  to  Arras  ;  thence  to  Crotoy, 
where  she  was  handed  over  to  the  tender  mercies  of  the  English, 
who  kept  her,  in  comparatively  easy  confinement,  until  it  should 
be  decided  where  the  Trial  was  to  take  place — the  University 
claiming  her  for  Paris,  the  Regent  preferring  to  keep  her  more 
strictly  within  his  own  power.  In  December,  a  decision  was 
arrived  at.  Rouen  was  fixed  upon  as  the  most  suitable  place, 
both  as  a  stronghold  of  the  English  and  as  the  residence  of  the 
Regent  and  the  Court.  To  Rouen,  accordingly,  the  Maid  was 
brought,  and  there  lodged  in  a  tower  of  the  Castle,  under  the 
guard  of  English  soldiers. 

The  room  in  which  she  was  confined  was  situated  in  a  tower 
of  the  Castle  of  Rouen,  now  no  longer  in  existence  ;  it  was  on 
the  first  floor,  up  eight  steps  ; 2  not  far  from  the  back  entrance,3 

1  Or  let  herself  down,  as  some  state,  by  a  rope  that  was  too  short  to  reach 
the  ground. 

2  Massieu.  3  Cusquel. 

Z 


338 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


and  facing  the  fields.1  There  were  three  keys  to  the  prison  : 
one  retained  by  the  Cardinal  of  England  or  his  Secretary,  one 
kept  by  the  Inquisitor,  and  one  by  the  Promoter.2  The  Maid 
was  under  the  close  surveillance  of  five  common  soldiers 
( Jioucepailliers ),  three  of  whom  remained  in  the  room  day  and 
night,  while  two  guarded  the  door.3  She  was  heavily  ironed, 
and  chained  to  a  beam  which  crossed  the  end  of  her  bed.4  It 
is  reported  also  that  a  cage,  in  which  she  could  stand  upright 
had  been  made  for  her  ;  but,  although  this  is  mentioned  by 
several  persons,  no  one  can  remember  to  have  seen  it  in 
use.  The  Castle  being  under  the  control  of  the  Governor,  the 
Earl  of  Warwick,  the  captive  was  officially  in  his  hands  ;  and 
for  this  reason  the  guardians  appointed  later  to  see  to  her  safe 
custody  were  members  of  his  household  or  of  the  Royal  Body¬ 
guard  :  John  Gris  or  Grey,  Talbot,  and  Berwoist,  whose  commis¬ 
sion  is  made  out  by  the  authority  of  the  Bishop  on  March  13th. 

Many  of  the  Assessors  considered  that  Jeanne  should  have 
been  placed  in  the  prisons  of  the  Church,  and  not  left  in  the 
hands  of  the  English.  Lefevre  remarks  that  no  one  dared  say 
this  ;  and  De  Courcelles  states  that  it  was  never  brought  up  as 
a  matter  for  consultation,  although  Ladvenu  refers  to  a  discussion 
at  the  first  Session,  during  which,  in  response  to  a  generally 
expressed  opinion  that  Jeanne  should  be  placed  under  Ecclesi¬ 
astical  ward,  the  Bishop  announced  that  this  could  not  be  done 
“for  fear  of  the  English.”  At  this  first  Session,  February  21st, 
neither  Ladvenu  nor  De  Courcelles  was  present. 

The  Trial  opened,  according  to  the  Official  Report,  on 
January  the  9th.  It  was  based  on  the  Procedure  of  the  trials 
of  the  Holy  Office  ;  and,  although  the  Inquisitor  himself  was 
not  officially  present  until  a  month  later,  the  Inquisitorial  form 
was  punctiliously  observed.  This  form  was  as  follows  : — 

1 .  Process  ex  officio. 

Enquiry  as  to  facts  of  accusation. 

Examination  of  the  Accused  on  the  results  of  this  enquiry. 

The  Promoter  then  draws  up  the  case,  if  any  be  undertaken. 

2.  Process  in  ordinary. 

Trial  and  examination  of  the  Accused,  sometimes  by 
torture. 

Sentence. 

This  Procedure  was  carefully  observed  in  the  case  of  Jeanne. 
The  process  ex  officio ,  beginning  in  January,  with  the  suppressed 
Domremy  Enquiry,  comprised  the  Six  Public  and  Nine  Private 
Examinations,  and  ended  with  the  drawing  up  of  the  Seventy 
Articles,  the  Act  of  Accusation,  on  March  26th.  The  Process 
in  Ordinary  began  on  March  27th,  with  the  reading  of  the 
Seventy  Articles  and  Jeanne’s  examination  upon  them.  She 
1  Taquel.  2  Lebouchier.  3  Massieu.  4  Ibid. 


APPENDIX 


339 


was  brought  into  the  Torture  Chamber  on  May  the  9th  ;  but 
the  decision  of  the  greater  number  of  the  Assessors  being 
against  the  use  of  extreme  measures,  nothing  was  done.  The 
Sentence  was  read  on  May  24th,  condemning  her  to  perpetual 
imprisonment. 

Of  the  legality  of  the  Trial  there  were  grave  doubts,  expressed 
both  at  the  beginning  and  also  later  on,  when  some  opportunity 
had  been  given  by  the  Public  Examinations  for  those  not 
absolutely  prejudiced  against  the  Accused,  to  form  an  opinion 
as  regards  the  impartiality  of  the  Judges.  On  the  first  day, 
Houppeville,  whose  testimony  was  given  in  full  at  the  Rehabi¬ 
litation,  was  present  in  Court  ;  but,  having  dared  to  express  his 
opinion  that  the  action  to  be  undertaken  was  fraught  with  some 
danger,  he  was  afterwards  refused  admission,  and  was  sent  for 
by  the  Bishop  to  be  reprimanded.  As  he  was  not  in  the  Diocese 
of  Beauvais  he  refused  submission  ;  but  his  appeal  to  his  own 
Chapter  at  Rouen  was  disregarded,  and  he  was  thrown  into 
prison,  from  which  he  was  only  released  some  days  later  through 
the  intervention  of  the  Abbot  of  Jumièges. 

Lohier,  a  celebrated  legal  authority,  who  was  present  in  Rouen 
during  the  earlier  part  of  the  Examination,  expressed  his 
opinions  to  the  Bishop  at  some  length,  stating  that  the  whole 
Trial  was  absolutely  worthless:  (1)  on  account  of  its  form,  (2) 
that  the  Assessors  were  not  at  liberty  to  hold  their  own  views, 
the  Trial  being  in  the  Castle  and  therefore  not  in  open  Court, 
(3)  that  no  opportunity  was  given  to  the  party  of  the  French 
King  to  speak  for  themselves,  (4)  that  Jeanne  herself  was 
allowed  no  Counsel,1  nor  had  proper  documents  been  prepared 
to  support  the  Accusation.  The  Bishop,  furious  at  this  inter¬ 
ference,  summoned  a  meeting  at  his  house  to  discuss  the  matter, 
and  announced  his  decision  to  take  no  notice  of  the  opinions 
thus  expressed,  but  to  continue  as  before.  On  the  following  day, 
Lohier  left  Rouen,  remarking  to  the  Registrar  of  the  Trial  :  “  It 
seems  to  me  they  act  more  from  hate  than  aught  else  :  and  for 
this  reason  I  will  not  stay  here,  for  I  do  not  wish  to  be  in  it.” 

Massieu,  the  Usher  of  the  Court,  afterwards  stated  that 
Jeanne  had  asked  for  Counsel,  and  had  been  refused  ;  but  there 
is  no  reference  to  any  such  request  in  the  message  he  gives 
from  her  at  the  time  of  her  citation.2 

The  Bishop’s  violent  resentment  at  any  interference  is  noted 
by  more  than  one  witness  ;  and,  indeed,  the  whole  conduct  of 

1  According  to  the  rules  of  Inquisitorial  Trials  it  was  not  necessary  to  grant 
an  advocate  to  the  accused.  In  the  “  Directorium  Inquisitorum  ”  the  Decretal 
on  the  treatment  of  Heretics  empowers  the  Bishop  and  the  Judge  of  the 
Inquisition,  acting  conjointly,  to  dispense  with  other  assistance,  and  to  act 
alone. 

2  See  “Execution  of  the  Mandate,”  Feb.  20th. 


Z  2 


340 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


the  Trial  may  be  not  inaptly  described  in  the  words  of  one  of 
the  Assessors,  Maître  Grouchet  :  “  all  was  violence  in  this 
affair.” 

The  Trial  itself  was  held  in  the  Castle  of  Rouen,  where  Henry 
VI.  had  just  been  spending  Christmas  in  state. 

At  the  First  Session,  in  the  Castle  Chapel,  the  noise  and 
disturbance  were  so  great  that  it  was  decided  that  future 
Sessions  should  be  held  in  a  smaller  room,  and  from  this  time 
the  Court  met  in  the  Ornament  Room,  opening  from  the  Great 
Hall.  Two  Englishmen  kept  the  door.1 

The  Meetings  of  May  19th  and  May  29th,  preliminary  to  the 
closing  of  the  First  and  Second  Processes,  respectively  were 
held  outside  the  Castle  in  the  Chapel  of  the  Archiépiscopal 
Manor,  possibly  with  a  view  to  giving  an  air  of  greater  publicity 
to  the  proceedings.  The  room  in  which  the  instruments  of 
torture  were  exhibited  to  Jeanne  is  on  the  ground-floor  of  the 
only  part  of  the  old  Castle  now  standing,  called  the  Great 
Tower.  The  smaller  tower,  in  which  Jeanne’s  prison  was 
situated,  was  still  in  ruins  until  the  beginning  of  the  present 
century,  and  went  by  the  name  of  the  Tower  of  La  Pucelle  ;  but 
it  has  now  entirely  disappeared. 

The  three  Registrars,  Manchon,  Boisguillaume,  and  Taquel 
(the  last  only  after  March  14th),  were  seated  at  the  feet  of  the 
Judges.  The  clerks  of  Beaupère  and  Erard,  Jean  de  Monnet 
and  Jean  de  Lenozelles,  were  sometimes  with  them  ;  two 
English  clerks,  under  the  direction  of  Loyseleur,  were  hidden 
behind  a  curtain.2 

Jeanne  was  seated  on  a  chair,  and  questioned,  generally  from 
8  to  1 1  a.m.,  by  the  Bishop  and  the  six  University  Delegates. 
Sometimes  they  all  spoke  together,  insomuch  that  Jeanne  pro¬ 
tested  :  “Beaux  Seigneurs,  faites  l’un  après  l’autre.”3 

In  the  evidence  given  at  the  Rehabilitation,  we  learn  that  on 
more  than  one  occasion  Jeanne  received  advice  from  friendly 
Assessors,  notably  from  Brother  Duval  and  Brother  Ysambard 
de  la  Pierre  ;  but  their  well-meant  interference  seems  only  to 
have  further  incensed  her  Judges  against  her,  and  occasionally 
produced  a  violent  altercation. 

On  the  other  hand,  Jeanne  was  cruelly  misled  by  Nicolas 
Loyseleur,  one  of  the  Canons  of  Rouen,  who  disguised  himself 
as  a  fellow-countryman  of  the  Marches  of  Lorraine,  and,  by  false 
messages  from  her  friends,  wormed  himself  into  the  confidence 
of  the  Maid,  even  inducing  her  to  allow  him  to  act  as  her  Con¬ 
fessor  :  nor  did  he  scruple  to  report  any  admission  she  might 
make  to  the  Bishop  and  the  Inquisitor.  The  Registrars,  Manchon 
and  Boisguillaume,  were  even  required  by  Cauchon  to  place 
themselves  in  a  room  adjoining  the  prison,  provided  with  a  so- 
1  Manchon.  2  Ibid.  3  Massieu. 


APPENDIX 


341 


called  “  Judas  ”  ear,  in  order  that  they  might  take  notes  of  the 
conversation  between  the  prisoner  and  Loyseleur  :  but  this,  to 
their  everlasting  honour,  they  refused  to  do. 

The  Registrars  appear  to  have  had  their  difficulties  from  the 
very  beginning.  The  notes  taken  by  them  at  the  morning  sit¬ 
tings  were  read  over  in  the  presence  of  some  of  the  Assessors  at 
the  Bishop’s  lodgings  in  the  afternoon,  and  compared  with  those 
made  by  the  concealed  English  clerks.  Differences  of  opinion 
arose  very  often  ;  but  the  officials  refused  to  allow  their  own 
notes  to  be  overridden,  and,  whenever  any  disputed  point  was 
referred  to  the  Accused,  their  version  was  always  found  to  be 
correct.  These  notes  were  finally  drawn  up  by  Manchon  in 
a  complete  form,  and  upon  them  is  based  the  whole  account  of 
the  Trial  as  it  appears  in  the  Latin  translation,  the  subsequent 
work  of  Thomas  de  Courcelles. 


ACT  OF  ACCUSATION  PREPARED  BY  THE 
PROMOTER 

The  Seventy  Articles 

[The  Seventy  Articles,  prepared  by  the  Promoter,  d’Estivet, 
which  form  the  Accusation  of  the  Trial  in  Ordinary,  were 
read  to  Jeanne  by  Thomas  de  Courcelles,  on  Tuesday, 
March  27th.  In  her  replies,  here  given,  Jeanne  refers  con¬ 
stantly  to  previous  answers.  The  dates  of  Examinations,  in 
which  these  are  said  to  occur,  follow  in  notes.] 

Article  I.  And  first,  according  to  Divine  Law,  as  according 
to  Canon  and  Civil  Law,  it  is  to  you,  the  Bishop,  as  Judge 
Ordinary,  and  to  you,  the  Deputy,  as  Inquisitor  of  the  Faith, 
that  it  appertained  to  drive  away,  destroy,  and  cut  out  from  the 
roots  in  your  Diocese  and  in  all  the  kingdom  of  France,  heresies, 
witchcrafts,  superstitions,  and  other  crimes  of  that  nature  ;  it  is 
to  you  that  it  appertained  to  punish,  to  correct  and  to  amend 
heretics  and  all  those  who  publish,  say,  profess,  or  in  any 
other  manner  act  against  our  Catholic  Faith  :  to  wit,  sorcerers, 
diviners,  invokers  of  demons,  those  who  think  ill  of  the  Faith, 
all  criminals  of  this  kind,  their  abettors  and  accomplices,  appre¬ 
hended  in  your  Diocese  or  in  your  jurisdiction,  not  only  for  the 
misdeeds  they  may  have  committed  there,  but  even  for  the  part  of 
their  misdeeds  that  they  may  have  committed  elsewhere,  saving, 
in  this  respect,  the  power  and  duty  of  the  other  Judges  competent 
to  pursue  them  in  their  respective  dioceses,  limits,  and  juris¬ 
dictions.  And  your  power  as  to  this  exists  against  all  lay 


342 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


persons,  whatever  be  their  estate,  sex,  quality,  and  pre-eminence  : 
in  regard  to  all  you  are  competent  Judges. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  to  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  I  believe  surely  that  our  Lord  the  Pope  of  Rome,  the 
Bishops,  and  other  Clergy,  are  established  to  guard  the  Chris¬ 
tian  Faith  and  punish  those  who  are  found  wanting  therein: 
but  as  for  me,  for  my  doings  I  submit  myself  only  to  the 
Heavenly  Church — that  is  to  say,  to  God,  to  the  Virgin  Mary, 
and  to  the  Saints  in  Paradise.  I  firmly  believe  I  have  not 
wavered  in  the  Christian  Faith,  nor  would  I  waver.” 

Article  II.  The  Accused,  not  only  this  year,  but  from  her 
infancy,  and  not  only  in  your  Diocese,  Bishop,  and  your 
jurisdiction,  Deputy,  but  also  in  many  other  places  of  this 
kingdom,  hath  done,  composed,  contrived  and  ordained  a  number 
of  sacrileges  and  superstitions  :  she  made  herself  a  diviner  ; 
she  caused  herself  to  be  adored  and  venerated  ;  she  hath 
invoked  demons,  and  evil  spirits  ;  consulted  them,  associated 
with  them,  hath  made  and  had  with  them  compacts,  treaties, 
and  conventions,  hath  made  use  of  them,  hath  furnished  to 
others,  acting  in  the  same  manner,  aid,  succour,  and  favour,  and 
hath,  in  much,  led  them  on  to  act  like  herself  ;  she  hath  said, 
affirmed,  and  maintained  that  to  act  thus,  to  use  witchcraft, 
divinations,  superstitions,  was  not  a  sin,  was  not  a  forbidden 
thing,  but,  on  the  contrary,  a  thing  lawful,  to  be  praised,  worthy 
of  approval  ;  also  she  hath  led  into  these  errors  and  evil  doings 
a  very  great  number  of  persons  of  divers  estates,  of  both  sexes, 
and  hath  imprinted  on  their  hearts  the  most  fatal  errors. 
Jeanne  hath  been  taken  and  arrested  within  the  limits  of  your 
diocese  of  Beauvais,  in  the  very  act  (_ flagrante  delicto )  of  per¬ 
petrating  all  these  misdoings. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  to  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  I  deny  ever  having  used  witchcraft,  superstitious  works, 
or  divinations.  As  to  allowing  myself  to  be  adored,  if  any  kissed 
my  hands  and  my  garments,  it  was  not  my  doing  or  by  my 
wish  ;  I  sought  to  protect  myself  from  it,  and  to  prevent  it 
as  much  as  in  me  lay.  And  as  for  the  rest  of  the  Article,  I 
deny  it.” 

Article  III.  The  Accused  hath  fallen  into  many  diverse 
and  detestable  errors  which  reek  of  heresy.  She  hath  said, 
vociferated,  uttered,  published  and  inculcated  within  the  hearts 
of  the  simple,  false  and  lying  propositions  allied  to  heresy,  even 
themselves  heretical,  contrary  to  our  Catholic  Faith  and  its 
principles,  to  Gospel  rules,  and  to  the  Statutes  established  or 
approved  by  General  Councils  ;  propositions,  contrary  not  only 
to  the  Divine  Law  but  also  to  Canon  and  Civil  Law  ;  propositions 
scandalous,  sacrilegious,  contrary  to  good  manners,  offensive  to 
pious  ears  :  she  hath  furnished  help,  counsel  and  favour  to  the 


APPENDIX 


343 


people  who  dogmatized,  affirmed,  or  promulgated  such  pro¬ 
positions. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  to  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  I  deny  it,  and  on  the  contrary  affirm  that  I  have  always 
upheld  the  Church  so  far  as  it  lay  in  my  power.” 

ARTICLE  IV.  But  it  is  time  to  instruct  you  more  fully  and 
more  directly,  my  Lords  and  Judges,  on  the  offences,  excesses, 
crimes,  and  misdemeanours,  committed  by  the  Accused  in  the 
diocese  of  Beauvais  and  elsewhere,  in  many  and  divers  places. 

It  is  true  that  the  Accused  was  born  in  the  village  of  Grus 
[Greux],  of  Jacques  d’Arc  and  Isabelle,  his  wife  ;  that  she  lived 
until  seventeen  years  old  or  thereabouts  in  the  village  of 
Domremy,  on  the  Meuse,  in  the  diocese  of  Toul,  in  the  Bailly  of 
Chaumont,  in  Bassigny,  in  the  provosty  of  Montclère  and  Andelot. 
In  her  childhood,  she  was  not  instructed  in  the  beliefs  and  prin¬ 
ciples  of  our  Faith  ;  but  by  certain  old  women  she  was  initiated 
in  the  science  of  witchcraft,  divination,  superstitious  doings,  and 
magical  arts.  Many  inhabitants  of  these  villages  have  been 
known  for  all  time  as  using  these  kinds  of  witchcraft:  Jeanne 
hath  herself  said  that  she  learned  from  several,  notably  from 
her  godmother,  many  things  touching  her  visions  and  the 
apparitions  of  fairies  ;  through  others  also,  she  hath  been  pene¬ 
trated  by  the  detestable  and  pernicious  errors  of  these  evil 
spirits — so  much  so,  that,  in  these  interrogations  before  you, 
she  hath  confessed  that  even  now  she  doth  not  know  if  these 
fairies  were  evil  spirits  or  not. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  to  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  For  the  first  part  it  is  true,  in  so  far  as  concerns  my 
father,  my  mother,  and  the  place  of  my  birth.  As  to  the 
fairies,  I  do  not  know  what  they  are.  On  what  touches  my 
teaching,  I  learnt  to  believe,  and  have  been  brought  up  well  and 
duly  to  do  what  a  good  child  ought  to  do.  For  what  concerns 
my  godmother,  I  refer  to  what  I  have  said  on  another  occasion. 
You  ask  me  to  say  the  Creed?  Ask  my  confessor,  to  whom  I 
said  it.” 

Article  V.  Near  the  village  of  Domremy  there  is  a  great  tree, 
big  and  ancient  ;  it  is  called  “  the  Charmed  Tree  of  the  Fairy  of 
Bourlement  ”  :  near  by  is  a  spring  ;  round  this  tree  and  this 
spring  live,  it  is  said,  evil  spirits  called  fairies,  with  whom  those 
who  use  witchcraft  are  accustomed  to  come  and  dance  at  night. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  to  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  For  the  tree  and  the  spring,  I  refer  to  my  previous  answers. 
The  rest,  I  deny.” 1 

'  Cf.  3rd  Public  Examination,  February  24th  ;  5th  Public  Examination, 
March  1st  ;  8th  Private  Examination,  17th;  and  9th  Private  Examination, 
March  17th. 


344 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


ARTICLE  VI.  Accustomed  to  frequent  this  tree  and  this 
spring,  above  all  by  night,  sometimes  also  by  day,  but  at  the 
times  when  the  Church  celebrates  the  Divine  Office,  Jeanne,  in 
order  to  find  herself  more  alone,  danced  roundelays  around  this 
tree  and  this  spring  ;  from  time  to  time  she  hung  from  its 
branches  garlands  of  herbs  and  flowers  woven  by  her  own 
hands,  accompanying  her  dances  with  songs  mingled  with 
invocations,  sorceries,  and  other  witchcrafts  :  the  garlands  thus 
left  overnight  on  the  following  morning  were  not  to  be  found. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  to  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  I  refer  for  a  part  to  my  previous  answers  ;  the  rest  I  deny.”  1 

ARTICLE  VII.  Jeanne  was  in  the  habit  of  carrying  about 
with  her  a  mandrake,  hoping  thereby  to  secure  fortune  and 
riches  in  this  world,  she,  in  fact,  believed  that  the  mandrake  has 
the  virtue  of  procuring  fortune. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  about  the  mandrake  ?  ” 

“  I  deny  it  entirely.”2 

Article  VIII.  Towards  her  twentieth  year,  Jeanne,  of  her 
own  wish,  and  without  permission  of  her  father  and  mother, 
went  to  Neufchâteau,  in  Lorraine,  and  was  in  service  for  some 
time  at  the  house  of  a  woman,  an  inn-keeper  named  La  Rousse, 
where  lived  women  of  evil  life,  and  where  soldiers  were  accus¬ 
tomed  to  lodge  in  great  numbers.  During  her  stay  in  this  inn, 
Jeanne  sometimes  stayed  with  these  evil  women,  sometimes 
took  the  sheep  into  the  fields,  or  led  the  horses  to  watering 
in  the  meadows  and  pastures  :  it  was  there  that  she  learnt  to 
ride  on  horseback  and  to  use  arms. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  to  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  I  refer  to  what  I  said  elsewhere.  I  deny  the  rest.”  3 

Article  IX.  Whilst  she  was  in  service  with  these  women 
Jeanne  indicted  a  young  man  before  the  Officials  at  Toul  for 
breach  of  promise  ;  many  times  she  repaired  to  Toul  for  this 
end,  and  spent  thus  nearly  all  that  she  had.  This  young  man 
refused  to  marry  her,  because  he  knew  she  had  been  connected 
with  evil  women.  He  died  during  the  trial.  Jeanne  then, 
unable  to  remain  longer,  quitted  the  service  of  this  woman. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  to  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  On  the  subject  of  this  trial  for  marriage  I  have  answered 
elsewhere  and  refer  to  my  answer.  I  deny  the  rest.”  4 

Article  X.  After  having  quitted  the  service  of  La  Rousse, 
Jeanne  pretended,  and  still  doth  pretend,  to  have  had  continually 
during  five  years,  visions  and  apparitions  of  Saint  Michael 

1  Cf.  3rd  Public  Examination,  February  24th. 

2  Cf.  5th  Public  Examination,  March  1st. 

3  Cf.  2nd  Public  Examination,  February  22nd,  and  3rd  Public  Examina¬ 
tion,  February  24th. 

4  Cf.  2nd  Private  Examination,  March  12th. 


APPENDIX 


345 


Saint  Catherine,  and  Saint  Margaret.  They  revealed  to  her,  she 
says,  by  order  of  God,  that  she  should  raise  the  siege  of  Orleans 
and  crown  Charles,  whom  she  calls  her  King  ;  and  that  after¬ 
wards  she  would  drive  out  his  enemies  from  the  realm  of  France. 
In  spite  of  her  father  and  mother,  she  left  home,  of  her  own 
motion,  of  her  sole  inspiration,  and  went  to  Robert  de  Baudri- 
court,  captain  of  Vaucouleurs,  to  whom  she  communicated,  in 
virtue  of  the  order  of  Saint  Michael,  Saint  Catherine,  and  Saint 
Margaret,  the  visions  and  revelations  that  God  had  made  to  her, 
asking  of  the  said  Robert  to  find  her  the  means  to  accomplish 
what  had  been  revealed  to  her.  Twice  repulsed  by  Robert,  she 
returned  twice  to  her  parents.  Returning  a  third  time  to  the 
attempt,  on  a  pretended  order  sent  to  her  by  revelation,  she  was 
then  admitted  and  received  by  the  said  Robert. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  to  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  I  refer  to  what  I  said  before.” 1 

Article  XI.  Having  become  familiar  with  the  said  Robert, 
Jeanne  boasted  that,  after  having  done  and  accomplished  all 
that  had  been  commanded  her  of  God,  she  would  have  three 
sons,  of  whom  the  first  should  be  Pope,  the  second 
Emperor,  and  the  third  King.  Robert  de  Baudricourt,  hearing 
this,  said  to  her,  “  Would  I  could  be  father  to  one  myself,  if  they 
are  to  be  such  great  people  !  my  own  value  would  thereby  be 
the  greater  !  ”  “  Nay,  nay,  gentle  Robert,”  replied  Jeanne,  “  it  is 

not  time;  the  Holy  Spirit  will  accomplish  it.”2  This  is  the 
tale  which  the  said  Robert  hath  in  many  places  often  affirmed, 
told  and  published,  and  this  in  presence  of  prelates,  lords,  and 
high  personages. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  to  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  I  refer  to  what  I  have  already  said.3  I  never  boasted  that 
I  should  have  three  children.” 4 

ARTICLE  XII.  In  order  the  more  openly  and  better  to 
attain  her  end,  Jeanne  asked  of  Robert  de  Baudricourt  to  have 
made  for  her  a  man’s  dress  and  armour  appropriate.  This 
captain,  with  great  repugnance,  ended  by  acquiescing  in  her 
request.  These  garments  and  armour  made  and  furnished, 
Jeanne,  rejecting  and  abandoning  women’s  clothing,  her  hair  cut 
a-round  like  a  young  coxcomb,  took  shirt,  breeches,  doublet, 
with  hose  joined  together  and  fastened  to  the  said  doublet  by 
twenty  points,  long  leggings  laced  on  the  outside,  a  short 

1  Cf.  2nd  Public  Examination,  February  22nd  ;  3rd  Public  Examination, 
February  24th  ;  4th  Public  Examination,  February  27th  ;  5th  Public  Exami¬ 
nation,  March  1st  ;  2nd  Private  Examination,  March  12th  ;  3rd  Private 
Examination,  March  12th. 

2  This  answer  is  given  in  French  in  the  text. 

3  No  previous  answer  is  recorded. 

4  Cf.  2nd  Private  Examination,  March  12th. 


346 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


mantle  [surcoat]  to  the  knees,  or  thereabouts,  close-cut  cap, 
tight-fitting  boots  or  buskins,  long  spurs,  sword,  dagger,  breast¬ 
plate,  lance  and  other  arms  in  fashion  of  a  man  of  war,  affirming 
that  in  this  she  was  executing  the  order  of  God,  as  had  been 
prescribed  to  her  by  revelation. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  on  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  I  refer  to  what  I  said  before.” 

“  Did  you  then  take  this  costume,  these  arms,  and  all  this 
war  like  apparel  by  the  order  of  God  ?  ” 

“  On  this  also  I  refer  to  what  I  said  before.”  1 

Article  XIII.  Jeanne  attributes  to  God,  His  Angels  and 
His  Saints,  orders  which  are  against  the  modesty  of  the  sex, 
and  which  are  prohibited  by  the  Divine  Law,  things  abominable 
to  God  and  man,  interdicted  on  pain  of  anathema  by  ecclesias¬ 
tical  censure,  such  as  dressing  herself  in  the  garments  of  a  man, 
short,  tight,  dissolute,  those  underneath  as  well  as  above.  It  is 
in  virtue  of  these  pretended  orders  that  she  hath  attired  her¬ 
self  in  sumptuous  and  stately  raiment,  cloth-of-gold  and  furs  ; 
and  not  only  did  she  wear  short  tunics,  but  she  dressed  herself 
in  tabards,  and  garments  open  at  both  sides  ;  and  it  is  notorious 
that  she  was  taken  prisoner  in  a  loose  cloak  of  cloth-of-gold. 
She  was  always  seen  with  a  cap  on  her  head,  her  hair  cut  short 
and  a-round  in  the  style  of  a  man.  In  one  word,  putting  aside 
the  modesty  of  her  sex,  she  acted  not  only  against  all  feminine 
decency,  but  even  against  the  reserve  which  beseems  men  of 
good  morals,  wearing  ornaments  and  garments  which  only 
profligate  men  are  accustomed  to  use,  and  going  so  far  as  to  carry 
arms  of  offence.  To  attribute  all  this  to  the  order  of  God,  to 
the  order  which  had  been  transmitted  to  her  by  the  Angels  and 
even  by  Virgin  Saints,  is  to  blaspheme  God  and  His  Saints,  to 
destroy  the  Divine  Law  and  violate  the  Canonical  Rules  ;  it  is 
to  libel  the  sex  and  its  virtue,  to  overturn  all  decency,  to  justify 
all  examples  of  dissolute  living,  and  to  drive  others  thereto. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  to  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  I  have  not  blasphemed  God  nor  His  Saints.” 2 

1  Cf.  2nd  Public  Examination,  February  22nd  ;  4th  Public  Examination, 
February  27th;  3rd  Private  Examination,  March  12th;  and  8th  Private 
Examination,  March  17th. 

2  The  two  following  questions  and  answers  appear  in  the  Minute  only  : — 

“  But,  Jeanne,  the  Holy  Canons  and  Holy  Writ  declare  that  women 

who  take  men’s  dress  or  men  who  take  women’s  dress,  do  a  thing  abomi¬ 
nable  to  God.  How  then  can  you  say  that  you  took  this  dress  at  God’s 
command  ?” 

“  You  have  been  answered.  If  you  wish  that  I  should  answer  you  further, 
grant  me  delay,  and  I  will  answer  you.” 

“Will  you  not  take  the  dress  of  a  woman  to  receive  your  Saviour  on 
Easter  Day?” 

“  Neither  for  that  nor  for  anything  else  will  I  yet  put  off  my  dress.  I 


APPENDIX 


347 


Article  XIV.  Jeanne  affirms  that  she  has  done  right  in 
attiring  herself  in  garments  worn  only  by  dissolute  men  ;  she 
doth  profess  that  she  will  continue  to  retain  them  until  she 
shall  have  received,  by  revelation,  the  express  order  of  God  :  by 
this,  she  outrages  God,  the  Angels,  and  the  Saints. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  to  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  I  do  no  wrong  in  serving  God  ;  to-morrow  I  will  answer  you.” 

[One  of  the  Assessors]  :  “  Did  you  have  revelation  or  order 
to  wear  a  man’s  dress  ?  ” 

“  I  have  already  answered  that  elsewhere.  I  refer  to  my 
previous  sayings.  To-morrow  I  will  answer.  I  know  well  who 
made  me  take  a  man’s  dress  ;  but  I  do  not  know  how  I  can 
reveal  it.”1 

Article  XV.  Jeanne,  having  many  times  asked  that  she 
might  be  permitted  to  hear  Mass,  hath  been  invited  to  quit  the 
dress  she  now  wears  and  to  take  again  her  woman’s  dress  ;  she 
hath  been  allowed  to  hope  that  she  will  be  admitted  to  hear 
Mass  and  to  receive  Communion,  if  she  will  renounce  entirely 
the  dress  of  a  man  and  take  that  of  a  woman,  as  beseems  her 
sex  ;  she  hath  refused.  In  other  words,  she  hath  chosen  rather 
not  to  approach  the  Sacraments  nor  to  assist  in  Divine  Service, 
than  to  put  aside  her  habit,  pretending  that  this  would  displease 
God.  In  this  appears  her  obstinacy,  her  hardness  of  heart,  her 
lack  of  charity,  her  disobedience  to  the  Church,  and  her  contempt 
of  Divine  Sacraments. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  to  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  I  would  rather  die  than  revoke  what  I  have  done  by  the 
order  of  Our  Lord.” 

“  Will  you,  to  hear  Mass,  abandon  the  dress  of  a  man  ?  ” 

“  I  will  not  abandon  it  yet  ;  the  time  is  not  come.  If  you 
refuse  to  let  me  hear  Mass,  it  is  in  the  power  of  Our  Lord  to  let 
me  hear  it,  when  it  shall  please  Him,  without  you.  I  recollect 
being  admonished  to  take  again  a  woman’s  dress.  As  to  the 
irreverence  and  such  like  things,  I  deny  them.”  2 

Article  XVI.  Previous  to,  and  since  her  capture,  at  the 
Castle  of  Beaurevoir  and  at  Arras,  Jeanne  hath  been  many 
times  advised  with  gentleness,  by  noble  persons  of  both  sexes, 

make  no  difference  between  man’s  dress  and  woman’s  dress  for  receiving 
my  Saviour.  I  ought  not  to  be  refused  for  this  question  of  dress.”  Cf.  4th 
Public  Examination,  February  27th,  and  6th  Public  Examination, March  3rd. 

1  Cf.  3rd  Public  Examination,  February  24th  ;  3rd  Private  Examination  ; 
March  12th  ;  8th  Private  Examination,  March  17th.  These  questions  and 
answers  come  after  Article  XIII.  in  the  minute. 

2  Cf.  7th  Private  Examination,  March  1 5th  ;  8th  Private  Examination, 
March  17  th. 

After  Article  XV.,  the  following  sentence  is  inserted  in  the  Extracts,  but 
is  not  in  the  Procès.  “  She  added  that  the  Demoiselle  de  Luxembourg 
prayed  the  Seigneur  de  Luxembourg  not  to  give  her  up  to  the  English.” 


348 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


to  give  up  her  man’s  dress  and  resume  suitable  attire.  She  hath 
absolutely  refused,  and  to  this  day  also  she  refuses  with  persist¬ 
ence  ;  she  disdains  also  to  give  herself  up  to  feminine  work, 
conducting  herself  in  all  things  rather  as  a  man  than  as  a 
woman. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  on  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  At  Arras  and  Beaurevoir  I  was  invited  to  take  a  woman’s 
dress  ;  then  I  refused,  and  I  refuse  still.  As  to  the  women’s 
work  of  which  you  speak,  there  are  plenty  of  other  women  to 
do  it.”  1 

Article  XVII.  When  Jeanne  found  herself  in  the  presence 
of  Charles,  thus  attired  and  armed,  she  promised  him  these 
three  things  among  others  :  that  she  would  raise  the  siege  of 
Orleans  ;  that  she  would  have  him  consecrated  at  Rheims  ;  that 
she  would  avenge  him  on  his  enemies,  who,  all  of  them,  English 
or  Burgundians,  should  be,  thanks  to  her,  killed  or  driven  out  of 
the  kingdom.  Many  times  and  in  many  places  did  she  repeat 
publicly  the  same  boasts  ;  and,  to  give  them  greater  weight, 
then  and  often  afterwards,  she  did  use  divinations,  and  by  these 
means  unveiled  the  morals,  the  entire  life,  the  most  secret  acts, 
of  persons  who  came  before  her,  whom  she  had  never  before 
seen  or  known  ;  she  boasted  of  knowing  all  by  revelation. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  on  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  In  the  name  of  God  I  brought  the  news  to  my  King  that 
Our  Lord  would  restore  the  kingdom  to  him,  cause  him  to  be 
crowned  at  Rheims,  and  drive  out  all  his  enemies  ;  I  was  a 
messenger  from  God,  when  I  told  the  King  boldly  to  set  me  to 
work  and  I  would  raise  the  siege  of  Orleans.  I  mean,  in  so 
saying,  the  whole  kingdom  ;  and  if  my  Lord  of  Burgundy  and 
the  other  subjects  of  the  King  do  not  return  to  their  obedience, 
the  King  will  know  how  to  make  them  by  force.  As  to  the  end 
of  the  Article,  of  knowing  Robert  de  Baudricourt  and  my  King, 
I  hold  to  what  I  said  before.”  2 

Article  XVIII.  So  long  as  Jeanne  remained  with  Charles, 
she  did  dissuade  him  with  all  her  power,  him  and  those  with 
him,  from  consenting  to  any  treaty  of  peace,  any  arrangement 
with  his  adversaries  ;  inciting  them  always  to  murder  and 
effusion  of  blood  ;  affirming  that  they  could  only  have  peace  by 
sword  and  lance  ;  and  that  God  willed  it  so,  because  otherwise 
the  enemies  of  the  King  would  not  give  up  that  which  they  held 
in  his  kingdom  ;  to  fight  against  them  thus,  is,  she  told  them, 
one  of  the  greatest  benefits  that  can  happen  to  all  Christendom. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  on  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  As  to  my  Lord  of  Burgundy,  I  requested  him  by  my 

1  Cf.  6th  Public  Examination,  March  3rd. 

2  Cf.  2nd  Public  Examination,  February  22nd  ;  4th  Private  Examination, 
March  13th. 


APPENDIX 


349 


ambassadors  and  my  letters  that  he  would  make  peace  between 
my  King  and  himself  ;  but  as  to  the  English,  the  peace  they 
need  is  that  they  may  go  away  to  their  own  country,  to  England. 
I  have  answered  on  the  remainder  of  the  Article  ;  and  I  refer  to 
this  answer.”1 

Article  XIX.  It  was  by  consulting  demons  and  using 
divinations,  that  Jeanne  sent  to  look  for  a  sword  hidden  in  the 
Church  of  Saint  Catherine  de  Fierbois  :  (perchance  she  had 
already  maliciously,  fraudulently,  and  deceitfully  hidden  or  caused 
to  be  hidden  this  sword  in  the  same  church,  to  seduce  the 
princes,  nobles,  clergy,  and  people,  to  induce  them  to  believe 
more  easily  that  she  knew  by  revelation  in  what  place  this 
sword  was).  By  this  stratagem  and  others  of  a  like  nature  she 
succeeded  in  inspiring  an  absolute  faith  in  all  her  words. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  to  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  I  refer  to  what  I  said  before  ;  I  deny  all  the  rest.”  2 

Article  XX.  She  hath  put  faith  in  her  ring,  in  her  banner, 
in  certain  pieces  of  linen,  and  pennons  which  she  carried  or 
caused  to  be  carried  by  her  people,  and  also  in  the  sword  found 
by  revelation,  according  to  her,  at  Saint  Catherine  de  Fierbois, 
saying  that  these  things  were  very  fortunate.  She  made  thereon 
many  execrations  and  conjurations,  in  many  and  divers  places, 
publicly  asserting  that  by  them  she  would  do  great  things  and 
would  obtain  victory  over  her  enemies  ;  that  to  those  of  her 
people  who  carried  pennons  of  this  kind  no  ill  could  happen. 
She  said  all  this  at  Compiègne  on  the  eve  of  the  day  when, 
having  sallied  to  attack  my  lord  the  Duke  of  Burgundy,  she  was 
taken  prisoner  and  many  of  her  followers  were  wounded,  killed, 
or  taken.  She  said  as  much  at  Saint  Denis,  when  she  incited 
her  army  to  attack  Paris. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  on  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  I  refer  to  what  I  have  already  said.  In  all  I  have  done 
there  was  never  any  sorcery  or  evil  arts.  As  for  the  good  luck 
of  my  banner,  I  refer  it  to  the  fortune  sent  through  it  by  Our 
Lord  {de  bonâ  fortunâ  sui  estandart  se  refert  ad  fortunium  quod 
Dominus  Noster  in  es  transmissit ).”  3 

Article  XXI.  Jeanne,  by  temerity  or  presumption,  hath 
caused  to  be  written  certain  letters  at  the  head  of  which  she 
placed  the  names  ‘  Jhésus  Maria,’  with  a  cross  in  the  middle. 
These  letters  she  caused  to  be  addressed  in  her  name  to  our 
Lord  the  King,  to  my  Lord  of  Bedford,  Regent  of  France,  to 
the  lords  and  captains  who  were  then  at  the  siege  of  Orleans, 

1  Cf.  4th  Public  Examination,  February  27th. 

2  Cf.  4th  Public  Examination,  February  27th  ;  8th  Private  Examination, 
March  17  th. 

3  Cf.  5th  Public  Examination,  March  1st  ;  6th  Public  Examination,  March 
3rd  ;  9th  Private  Examination,  March  17th. 


.35° 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


containing  a  number  of  things  wicked,  pernicious,  contrary  to 
the  Catholic  Faith,  the  tenour  of  which  is  found  in  the  Article 
which  follows  : 

“  What  have  you  to  say  to  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  I  did  not  send  the  letters  of  which  you  speak  in  pride  or 
in  presumption,  but  by  command  of  Our  Lord.  I  remember 
and  acknowledge  the  contents  of  these  letters,  with  the  exception 
of  three  words.  If  the  English  had  believed  my  letters,  they 
would  only  have  been  wise  ;  and  before  seven  years  are  gone 
they  will  perceive  it  well  enough  !  ” 1 

Article  XXII.  Tenour  of  the  letter  :2 

“  What  have  you  to  say  to  this  letter  ?  ” 

“  I  remember  having  it  written  except  three  words,  which 
I  did  not  dictate.  If  the  English  had  believed  my  words 
they  would  have  acted  wisely.  Before  seven  years  are  gone, 
they  will  feel  the  truth  of  what  I  wrote  to  them,  and  for  that, 
I  refer  to  the  answer  which  I  made  elsewhere.” 

Article  XXIII.  The  tenour  of  the  letter  contained  in  the 
preceding  Article  proves  well  that  Jeanne  hath  been  the  sport 
of  evil  spirits,  and  that  she  often  consulted  them  to  know  what 
she  ought  to  do  ;  or,  at  least,  that,  to  seduce  the  people,  she 
imagined  these  inventions  by  lying  or  wickedness. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  to  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  I  deny  ever  having  done  anything  under  the  inspiration  of 
evil  spirits.”  3 

Article  XXIV.  Jeanne  hath  gravely  misused  the  names 
“  Jhésus  Maria  ”  and  the  sign  of  the  cross  placed  beside  them  ;  it 
was  understood  between  her  and  her  people  that,  when  they  saw 
on  her  letters  these  words  and  this  sign,  they  were  to  do  the 
contrary  of  what  she  wrote  :  and,  in  fact,  they  did  do  the 
contrary. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  to  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  I  refer  to  what  I  said  before.”  4 

Article  XXV.  Usurping  the  office  of  Angels,  Jeanne  hath 
said  and  affirmed  that  she  hath  been  sent  by  God  ;  and  she  hath 
said  this  even  for  cases  which  tend  openly  to  violence  and 
effusion  of  human  blood  :  a  proposition  the  most  foreign  to  all 
holiness,  horrible  and  abominable  to  all  pious  souls. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  to  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  First,  I  begged  them  to  make  peace  ;  and  it  was  only  in 
case  they  would  not  make  peace  that  I  was  ready  to  fight.”  5 

1  Cf.  2nd  Public  Examination,  February  22nd  ;  6th  Public  Examination 
March  3rd. 

2  Vide  5th  Public  Examination,  March  1st  :  pages  36-38. 

3  Cf.  4th  Public  Examination,  February  27th. 

4  Cf.  9th  Private  Examination,  March  17th. 

6  Cf.  3rd  Public  Examination,  February  24th  ;  9th  Private  Examination, 
March  17th. 


APPENDIX 


351 


Article  XXVI.  Jeanne,  being  at  Compïègne  in  August  of 
1429,  did  receive  from  the  Count  d’Armagnac  a  letter  of  which 
the  tenour  forms  the  article  which  follows. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  to  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  I  refer  to  what  I  said  before.”  1 
Article  XXVII.  Tenour  of  the  said  letter.2 
Article  XXVIII.  To  this  letter  Jeanne  did  send  in  answer 
the  letter  signed  with  her  name,  found  in  the  Articles  which 
follow. 

Articles  XXIX.  and  XXX.  Letter  of  Jeanne  to  the  Count 
d’Armagnac.3 

“What  have  you  to  say  on  these  Articles,  XXVII., 
XXVIII.,  XXIX.,  XXX.,  which  have  been  read  to  you  with 
great  care,  from  the  first  word  to  the  last  ?  ’  ’ 

“  I  refer  to  what  I  answered  on  Article  XXVI.”  4 


Continuation  of  the  Reading  of  the  Articles  in  Open  Court. 

[The  next  day,  Wednesday,  March  28th,  in  the  same  room, 
near  the  great  Hall  of  the  Castle  of  Rouen,  before  the  Bishop 
and  Brother  Jean  Lemaître,  assisted  by  35  Assessors.] 

Before  them  hath  been  resumed  the  reading,  begun  the  pre¬ 
ceding  day,  of  the  Articles  in  the  document  produced  by  the 
Promoter.  Their  contents  in  French,  being  shewn  to  Jeanne, 
Article  by  Article,  she  hath  been  questioned  on  each  of  these 
Articles  and  hath  continued  to  reply,  as  here  followeth,  after 
having  anew  sworn  to  speak  truth  on  everything  touching  the 
Trial.5 

Article  XXXI.  From  the  time  of  her  childhood  and  since, 
Jeanne  hath  boasted,  and  every  day  still  doth  boast,  of  having 
had,  and  of  still  having,  numerous  revelations  and  visions  on  the 
subject  which,  although  she  hath  been  on  this  charitably  ad¬ 
monished  and  legally  required  to  swear,  she  hath  not  made,  nor 
wished  to  make,  nor  is  now  willing  to  make,  any  oath.  She  will 
not  even  make  known  the  revelations  made  to  her,  by  words  nor 

1  Cf.  5th  Public  Examination,  March  1st. 

2  Vide  5th  Public  Examination,  March  1st  :  pasres  34.-3Ç. 

3  Vide  ante ,  page  35. 

4  Cf.  5th  Public  Examination,  March  1st. 

6  The  following  incident  occurs  in  the  Minute  only  : 

The  Bishop,  referring  to  the  promise  given  on  the  previous  day  by  Jeanne 
that  she  would  answer  on  the  subject  of  her  dress,  asks  that,  before  proceeding 
with  the  reading,  this  answer  may  be  given.  To  which  Jeanne  replies  : 

“  The  dress  and  the  arms  that  I  wear,  I  wear  by  the  permission  of  God  : 
I  will  not  leave  them  off  without  the  permission  of  God,  even  if  it  cost 
me  my  head  :  but,  if  it  should  so  please  Our  Lord,  I  will  leave  them  off  : 
I  will  not  take  a  woman’s  dress  if  I  have  not  permission  from  Our  Saviour.” 


352 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


by  signs.  This  she  hath  postponed,  contested,  refused,  and 
doth  now  also  postpone,  contest,  and  refuse.  Many  times  hath 
she  said  and  affirmed  in  a  formal  manner,  in  Court  and 
outside,  that  she  will  not  make  known  these  revelations  and 
visions  to  you,  her  Judges,  even  if  her  head  should  be  cut  off, 
or  her  body  dismembered.  “  They  shall  not  drag  it  from  my 
mouth,”  she  hath  said,  “  neither  the  sign  that  God  revealed  to 
me,  nor  the  means  whereby  I  knew  that  this  sign  came  to  me 
from  God.” 

“  What  have  you  to  say  on  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  As  to  revealing  the  sign  and  the  other  things,  of  which 
you  speak,  I  may  well  have  said  I  will  not  reveal  them.  I  add, 
to  what  I  before  acknowledged  that  I  should  have  said  I  would 
not  reveal  it  without  leave  from  Our  Lord.”  1 

Article  XXXII.  By  this  refusal  to  make  known  these 
pretended  revelations,  you  may  and  should  presume  strongly 
that  the  revelations  and  visions  of  Jeanne,  if  she  had  them 
always,  came  to  her  from  lying  and  evil  spirits  rather  than  from 
good.  And  all  the  world  may  take  it  for  certain,  considering 
her  cruelty,  her  pride,  her  dress,  her  actions,  her  lies,  the  contra¬ 
dictions  here  given  in  various  Articles,  that  all  these  together 
constitute  in  this  respect  the  most  powerful  of  presumptions,  both 
of  law  and  right. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  on  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  I  did  it  by  revelation,  from  Saint  Catherine  and  Saint 
Margaret;  and  I  will  maintain  it  even  unto  death.  If  I  put  on 
my  letters  the  names  ‘Jhésus  Maria,’  it  was  because  I  was 
advised  to  do  so  by  certain  persons  of  my  party  ;  sometimes  I 
used  these  names,  sometimes  not.  As  to  that  passage  in  my 
answer  of  which  you  remind  me,  ‘  All  that  I  did,  I  did  by  the 
counsel  of  Our  Lord,’  it  should  be  completed  thus  :  ‘  All  that 
I  did  well.’” 

“  Did  you  do  well  or  ill  to  advance  on  La  Charité  ?  ” 

“  If  it  were  ill  done,  it  will  be  confessed.” 

“  Did  you  do  well  to  advance  on  Paris  ?  ” 

“The  gentlemen  of  France  wished  to  advance  on  Paris. 
In  doing  this,  it  seems  to  me  they  did  their  duty  in  going  against 
their  enemies.” 

Article  XXXIII.  Jeanne  hath  presumptuously  and  auda¬ 
ciously  boasted,  and  doth  still  boast,  of  knowing  the  future  and 
of  having  foreseen  the  past,  of  knowing  things  that  are  in  the 
present,  but  hidden  or  unknown  ;  all  which,  an  attribute  of  the 
Deity,  she  claims  for  herself,  a  simple  and  ignorant  creature. 

1  Cf.  2nd  Public  Examination,  February  22nd  ;  3rd  Public  Examination, 
February  24th  ;  4th  Public  Examination,  February  27th  ;  5th  Public  Exami¬ 
nation,  March  1st;  7th  Private  Examination,  March  15th;  8th  Private 
Examination,  March  17th. 


APPENDIX 


353 


“  What  have  you  to  say  on  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  It  is  in  Our  Lord’s  power  to  give  revelations  to  whom  He 
pleases  ;  that  which  I  said  of  the  sword  of  Fierbois  and  of 
things  to  come,  I  knew  by  revelation.”  1 

Article  XXXIV.  Obstinate  in  her  temerity  and  presump¬ 
tion,  Jeanne  hath  said,  proclaimed,  and  published,  that  she 
recognized  and  discerned  the  voices  of  Archangels,  Angels,  and 
Saints  ;  she  hath  affirmed  and  doth  still  affirm  that  she  knoweth 
how  to  distinguish  their  Voices  from  human  voices. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  on  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  I  hold  by  what  I  have  already  said  :  of  my  pretended 
temerity,  and,  of  that  which  has  been  concluded  against  me,  I 
refer  to  Our  Lord,  my  Judge.”  2 

Article  XXXV.  Jeanne  hath  boasted  and  affirmed  that 
she  did  know  how  to  discern  those  whom  God  loveth  and  those 
whom  He  hateth. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  on  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  I  hold  by  what  I  have  already  said  elsewhere  of  the  King 
and  the  Duke  d’Orléans  ;  of  the  others  I  know  not  ;  I  know 
well  that  God,  for  their  well-being,3  ( pro  ediis  corporum 
suorum ),  loves  my  King  and  the  Duke  d’Orléans  better  than 
me.  I  know  it  by  revelation.”  4 

Article  XXXVI.  Jeanne  hath  said,  affirmed,  and  boasted, 
she  doth  say,  affirm,  and  every  day  boast,  that  she  hath  known, 
and  could  know  exactly — and  that  not  only  herself,  but  also 
others  through  her  means  recognized  and  surely  knew — the 
Voice  which  came  to  her,  although  from  its  nature  a  voice  must 
be  invisible  to  every  human  being. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  to  this  Article  ?” 

“  I  hold  by  what  I  have  said  elsewhere.”  5 
ARTICLE  XXXVI  I.  Jeanne  doth  confess  to  having  frequently 
done  the  contrary  to  what  hath  been  commanded  her  by  the 
revelations  she  doth  boast  to  have  had  from  God  ;  for  example, 
when  she  retired  from  St.  Denis,  after  the  assault  on  Paris,  and 
when  she  leaped  from  the  top  of  the  tower  of  Beaurevoir.  By 
this,  it  is  manifest,  either  that  she  hath  had  no  revelations  from 
God,  or  that,  if  she  hath  had  them,  she  hath  despised  them. 
And  she  it  is,  who,  after  this,  doth  dare  to  affirm  that  she  is  in 

1  Cf.  3rd  Public  Examination,  February  24th  ;  4th  Public  Examination, 
February  27th;  5th  Public  Examination,  March  1st;  6th  Public  Exami¬ 
nation,  March  3rd;  1st  Private  Examination,  March  10th  ;  3rd  Private 
Examination,  March  12th  ;  5th  Private  Examination,  March  14th. 

2  Cf.  4th  Public  Examination,  February  27th;  5th  Public  Examination, 
March  1st;  7th  Private  Examination,  March  15th. 

3  Minute  reads  :  “  pour  l’aise  de  son  corps.” 

4  Cf.  2nd  Public  Examination,  February  22nd  ;  3rd  Public  Examination, 
Feb.  24th  ;  8th  Private  Examination,  March  17th. 

5  Cf.  2nd  Public  Examination,  February  22nd. 


A  A 


354 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


all  things  guided  and  governed  by  commands  from  on  high  and 
by  revelation  !  Besides,  she  hath  said  that,  when  she  had  had 
the  order  not  to  leap  from  the  top  of  the  tower,  she  was 
compelled  to  act  contrary  to  this  order,  without  being  able  to 
resist  the  constraint  put  upon  her  will  ;  in  the  which  she  appears 
to  think  wrongly  on  the  matters  of  Free-will  and  to  fall  into  the 
error  of  those  who  believe  that  man  is  led  by  Fate  or  by  some 
other  irresistible  power. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  to  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  I  hold  by  what  I  have  said  elsewhere.  I  state  in  addition  that 
when  I  left  St.  Denis  I  had  permission  from  my  Voices.” 

“  In  acting  against  your  Voices,  do  you  think  you  com¬ 
mitted  mortal  sin  ?  ” 

“  I  have  answered  elsewhere  to  that  ;  I  refer  to  that  answer. 
On  the  concluding  part  of  this  Article,  I  refer  me  to  God.”  1 

Article  XXXVIII.  Jeanne,  from  the  time  of  her  child¬ 
hood,  hath  said,  done,  and  committed  a  great  number  of  crimes, 
sins  and  evil  deeds — shameful,  cruel,  scandalous,  dishonouring, 
unworthy  of  her  sex  ;  now  she  doth  say  and  affirm  that  all  that 
she  hath  done  hath  been  with  the  approbation  and  by  the  will 
of  God  ;  that  she  hath  done  nothing  and  now  doeth  nothing 
which  proceedeth  not  from  God,  by  means  of  the  revelations 
transmitted  to  her  by  the  Holy  Angels  and  the  Holy  Virgins, 
Catherine  and  Margaret. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  on  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  I  refer  to  what  I  have  said  elsewhere.”  2 

Article  XXXIX.  Although  the  Just  sin  seven  times  a  day, 
Jeanne  hath  said  and  published  that  she  hath  never  committed, 
or,  at  least,  that  she  doth  believe  never  to  have  committed, 
mortal  sin.  Nevertheless,  as  many  Articles  of  the  present 
accusation  prove,  she  hath  indeed  practised,  and  on  a  vast  scale, 
acts  customary  to  nations  who  are  at  war,  and  others  yet  more 
grave. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  on  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  I  have  answered  it  ;  I  refer  to  what  I  have  said  else¬ 
where.”  3 

Article  XL.  Forgetful  of  her  salvation,  impelled  by  the 
devil,  she  is  not  and  hath  not  been  ashamed  several  times  and 
in  many  and  divers  places  to  receive  the  Body  of  Christ,  having 
upon  her  a  man’s  dress  of  unseemly  form,  a  dress  which  the 
laws  of  God  and  man  do  forbid  her  to  wear. 

1  Cf.  2nd  Public  Examination,  February  22nd;  1st  Private  Examination, 
March  10th  ;  7th  Private  Examination,  March  15th. 

2  Cf.  3rd  Public  Examination,  February  24th;  7th  Private  Examination, 
March  15th. 

3  Cf.  3rd  Public  Examination,  February  24th  ;  5th  Public  Examination, 
March  1st  ;  6th  Private  Examination,  March  14th. 


APPENDIX 


355 


“  What  have  you  to  say  on  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  I  have  answered  elsewhere.  I  rely  upon  what  I  have  said 
before.  I  rely  upon  Our  Lord.”  1 

Article  XLI.  Jeanne,  as  one  desperate,  for  hate  and 
contempt  of  the  English,  and  foreseeing  the  destruction  of 
Compiègne,  which  she  believed  to  be  imminent,  did  attempt  to 
kill  herself  by  throwing  herself  down  from  the  top  of  a  tower  ; 
at  the  instigation  of  the  devil,  she  took  it  into  her  head  to 
commit  this  action  ;  she  applied  herself  to  commit  it  ;  she  did 
commit  it  in  so  far  as  she  was  able  ;  on  the  other  hand,  in  so 
throwing  herself  down,  she  was  so  well  impelled  and  guided  by 
a  diabolic  instinct  that  she  had  in  view  rather  the  safety  of  her 
body  than  that  of  her  soul  and  of  many  others.  Often  indeed, 
hath  she  boasted  that  she  would  kill  herself  rather  than  that 
she  should  be  delivered  to  the  English. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  on  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  I  rely  upon  what  I  have  said  before.” 2 

Article  XLI  I.  Jeanne  hath  said  and  published  that  Saint 
Catherine  and  Saint  Margaret  and  Saint  Michael  have  bodies — 
that  is  to  say,  head,  eyes,  face,  hair,  etc.  ;  that  she  hath  touched 
them  with  her  hands  ;  that  she  hath  kissed  them  and  embraced 
them. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  on  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  I  have  already  answered  it,  and  I  rely  upon  what  I  have 
said.”3 

Article  XLI  1 1.  Jeanne  hath  said  and  published  that  the 
Saints,  the  Angels,  and  the  Archangels  speak  the  French  lan¬ 
guage  and  not  the  English  language,  because  the  Saints,  the 
Angels,  and  the  Archangels  are  not  on  the  side  of  the  English, 
but  of  the  French  ;  she  hath  outraged  the  Saints  in  glory,  in 
implying  to  them  a  mortal  hatred  against  a  Catholic  realm  and 
a  nation  devoted,  according  to  the  will  of  the  Church,  to  the 
veneration  of  all  the  Saints. 

This  Article  having  been  set  forth  to  Jeanne  word  for  word, 
she  only  answered  thus  : 

“  I  rely  on  Our  Lord,  and  upon  what  I  have  replied  before.”  4 

Article  XLIV.  Jeanne  hath  boasted  and  doth  yet  boast, 
she  hath  published  and  doth  publish,  that  Saint  Catherine  and 
Saint  Margaret  have  promised  to  lead  her  to  Paradise,  and  have 
assured  her  that  she  will  obtain  heavenly  joy  if  she  preserve 
her  virginity  ;  she  affirms  she  is  certain  of  this. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  on  this  Article  ?  ” 

1  Cf.  6th  Public  Examination,  March  3rd. 

2  Cf.  6th  Public  Examination,  March  3rd  ;  5th  Private  Examination, 

March  28th. 

4  Cf.  9th  Private  Examination,  March  17th. 

Cf.  5th  Public  Examination,  March  1st. 


A  A  2 


356 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


“  I  rely  on  Our  Lord  and  on  what  I  answered  elsewhere.”  1 

Article  XLV.  Although  the  judgments  of  God  are  im¬ 
penetrable  to  us,  nevertheless  Jeanne  hath  said,  uttered,  declared, 
and  promulgated  that  she  hath  known  and  can  know  those  who 
are  Saints,  Archangels,  Angels,  or  the  elect  of  God  ;  she  knoweth 
how  to  discern  them. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  on  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  I  refer  to  what  I  have  already  said.”  2 

Article  XLVI.  She  hath  said  that,  before  leaping  from  the 
tower  of  Beaurevoir,  she  did  most  lovingly  entreat  Saint  Catherine 
and  Saint  Margaret  for  the  people  of  Compïègne,  saying  to  these 
Saints  in  a  reproachful  manner,  “  And  how  can  God  allow  these 
people  of  Compiègne,  who  are  so  loyal,  to  die  thus  miserably  ?  ” 
In  the  which  did  appear  her  impatience  and  her  irreverence 
towards  God  and  the  Saints. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  on  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  I  refer  to  what  I  have  already  said.”  3 

Article  XLVI  I.  Provoked  with  her  wound,  Jeanne,  after 
the  leap  from  the  tower  of  Beaurevoir,  seeing  she  had  not  attained 
her  end,  began  to  blaspheme  God  and  the  Saints,  abjuring  them 
with  horrible  taunts,  insulting  them  terribly,  to  the  great  con¬ 
fusion  of  all  those  present.  In  the  same  way,  when  she  was  in 
the  Castle  of  Rouen,  many  times,  and  on  different  days,  did  she 
blaspheme  and  deny  God,  the  Blessed  Virgin,  and  the  Saints  : 
in  impatience  and  resentment  at  being  brought  for  judgment 
before  an  ecclesiastical  tribunal  and  forced  to  appear  there. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  on  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  I  hold  by  Our  Lord  and  by  what  I  have  already  said.”  4 

Article  XLVIII.  Jeanne  hath  said  that  she  did  and  doth 
still  believe  that  the  spirits  which  appear  to  her  are  Angels  and 
Archangels  and  the  Saints  of  God,  as  firmly  as  she  believes  in 
the  Christian  Faith,  and  in  the  Articles  of  that  Faith,  although 
she  can  report  no  sign  which  can  be  of  a  nature  to  prove  that 
she  hath  in  reality  had  this  communication  ;  she  hath  consulted 
neither  Bishop,  Priest,  nor  Prelate,  nor  any  ecclesiastical  person 
whatsoever,  to  know  whether  she  ought  to  have  faith  in  such 
spirits  ;  yet  more,  she  saith  that  her  Voices  have  forbidden  her 
to  reveal  anything  to  any  one  whosoever  it  may  be,  save  first 
to  a  captain  of  soldiers,  then  to  Charles  her  King,  and  after¬ 
wards  to  other  persons  purely  laic.  By  this,  she  admits  that 

1  Cf.  5th  Private  Examination,  March  14th  ;  6th  Private  Examination, 
March  14th  ;  5th  Public  Examination,  March  1st. 

2  Cf.  4th  Public  Examination,  February  27th  ;  5th  Public  Examination, 
March  1st  ;  6th  Public  Examination,  March  3rd. 

3  Cf.  6th  Public  Examination,  March  3rd. 

4  Cf.  6th  Public  Examination,  March  3rd  ;  6th  Private  Examination, 
March  14th. 


APPENDIX 


357 


her  belief  on  this  point  is  audacious,  her  faith  erroneous,  her 
revelations  doubtful,  having  always  kept  them  from  the  know¬ 
ledge  of  the  clergy  and  never  having  been  willing  to  reveal  them 
save  to  seculars. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  to  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  I  have  answered  it  already.  I  refer  to  what  is  written. 
And  as  to  the  signs,  if  those  who  asked  for  them  were  not 
worthy,  I  could  not  help  it.  Many  a  time  did  I  pray  that  it 
might  please  God  to  reveal  it  to  some  of  this  party.  It  is  true, 
that  to  believe  in  my  revelations  I  asked  neither  Bishop,  Priest, 
nor  any  one  else.  I  believe  it  was  Saint  Michael,  from  the  good 
teaching  he  shewed  me.” 

“  Did  Saint  Michael  say  to  you  :  ‘  I  am  Saint  Michael  ’  ?  ” 

“  I  have  answered  before.” 

As  to  the  concluding  part  of  the  Article,  she  answered  :  “  I 
refer  me  to  Our  Lord.  .  .  As  firmly  as  I  believe  Our  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ  suffered  death  to  redeem  us  from  the  pains  of  hell, 
so  firmly  do  I  believe  that  it  was  Saint  Michael  and  Saint 
Gabriel,  Saint  Catherine  and  Saint  Margaret  whom  Our 
Saviour  sent  to  comfort  and  to  counsel  me.” 1 

Article  XLIX.  On  the  foundation  of  this  fancy  alone 
Jeanne  hath  venerated  spirits  of  this  kind,  kissing  the  ground  on 
the  which  she  said  they  had  walked,  bending  the  knee  before 
them,  embracing  them,  kissing  them,  paying  all  sorts  ot 
adoration  to  them,  giving  them  thanks  with  clasped  hands, 
taking  the  greatest  familiarities  with  them  ;  when  she  did  not 
know  if  they  were  good  or  evil  spirits,  and  when,  by  reason  of 
all  the  circumstances  revealed  above,  these  spirits  should  have 
been  rather  considered  by  her  as  evil.  This  worship,  this 
veneration,  is  idolatry  :  it  is  a  compact  with  demons. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  on  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  I  have  already  answered  ;  for  the  conclusion,  I  refer  me 
to  Our  Lord.”2 

ARTICLE  L.  Every  day  and  many  times  daily  Jeanne  doth 
invoke  these  evil  spirits  and  consult  them  on  what  she  should  do, 
— notably  on  the  manner  in  which  she  should  answer  in  court. 
This  seems  to  constitute,  and  doth  in  effect  constitute,  an 
invocation  of  demons. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  on  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  I  have  already  answered  it  ;  I  shall  call  them  to  my  help 
as  long  as  I  live.” 

“  In  what  way  shall  you  call  them  ?  ” 

1  Cf.  3rd  Public  Examination,  February  24th  ;  6th  Public  Examination, 
March  3rd  ;  2nd  Private  Examination,  March  12th. 

2  Cf.  3rd  Public  Examination,  February  24th  ;  1st  Private  Examination, 
March  10th  ;  2nd  Private  Examination,  March  12th  ;  7th  Private  Exami¬ 
nation,  March  15th;  9th  Private  Examination,  March  17th. 


358 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


“  I  beseech  Our  Lord  and  Our  Lady  that  they  will  send 
me  counsel  and  comfort,  and  then  They  send  it  to  me.” 

“  In  what  words  do  you  beseech  this?  ” 

“  I  say  ‘  Most  sweet  Lord,  in  honour  of  Thy  Holy  Passion 
I  beseech  Thee,  if  Thou  lovest  me,  that  Thou  wilt  reveal  to  me 
how  I  should  answer  these  Clergy.  I  know  well,  as  regards  this 
dress,  the  command  by  which  I  have  taken  it  ;  but  I  do  not 
know  in  what  way  I  should  leave  it  off  :  for  this,  may  it  please 
Thee  to  teach  me.’  And  soon  they  come  to  me.  I  often  by 
my  Voices  have  news  of  my  Lord  of  Beauvais.” 

The  Bishop  :  “  What  do  your  Voices  say  of  Us  ?  ” 

“  I  will  tell  you  apart.  .  .  .  To-day  they  came  to  me  three 
times.” 

“  In  your  chamber  ?  ” 

“  I  have  answered  you  ;  I  hear  them  well.  Saint  Catherine 
and  Saint  Margaret  have  told  me  what  I  should  say  on  the 
subject  of  my  dress.”  1 

Article  LI.  Jeanne  hath  not  feared  to  proclaim  that  Saint 
Michael,  the  Archangel  of  God,  did  come  to  her  with  a  great 
multitude  of  Angels  in  the  house  of  a  woman  where  she  had 
stopped  at  Chinon  ;  that  he  walked  with  her,  holding  her  by  the 
hand  ;  that  they  together  mounted  the  stairs  of  the  Castle  and 
together  gained  the  Chamber  of  the  King  ;  that  the  Angel 
did  reverence  to  the  King,  bowing  before  him,  surrounded  by 
this  multitude  of  Angels,  of  which  some  had  crowns  on  their 
heads  and  others  had  wings.  To  say  such  things  of  Archangels 
and  the  Holy  Angels  is  presumption,  audacity,  lying,  as  in  the 
holy  books  we  do  not  read  that  they  did  a  like  reverence,  a  like 
demonstration,  to  any  saint — not  even  to  the  Blessed  Virgin, 
Mother  of  God.  Jeanne  hath  said  that  the  Archangel  Saint 
Gabriel  hath  often  come  to  her  with  the  blessed  Michael,  and 
sometimes  even  with  thousands  of  Angels.  She  hath  also 
proclaimed  that  the  same  Angel,  at  her  prayer,  did  bring  in  this 
company  of  Angels  a  crown,  the  most  precious  possible,  to  place 
upon  the  head  of  her  King — a  crown  which  is  to-day  deposited 
in  the  treasury  of  the  King  ;  that  the  King  would  have  been 
crowned  at  Rheims  with  this  crown,  if  he  had  deferred  his 
consecration  some  days  :  it  was  only  because  of  the  extreme 
haste  of  his  coronation  that  he  received  another.  All  these  are 
lies  imagined  by  Jeanne  at  the  instigation  of  the  devil,  or 
suggested  by  demons  in  deceitful  apparitions,  to  make  sport  of 
her  curiosity, — she  who  would  search  secrets  beyond  her  capacity 
and  condition. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  on  this  Article  ?  ” 

1  Cf.  3rd  Public  Examination,  February  24th;  4th  Public  Examination, 
February  27th  ;  2nd  Private  Examination,  March  12th  ;  4th  Private  Exami¬ 
nation,  March  13th;  5th  Private  Examination,  March  14th. 


APPENDIX 


359 


“  On  the  subject  of  the  Angel  who  brought  the  sign  I  have 
already  answered.  As  to  what  the  Promoter  suggests  on  the 
subject  of  the  thousands  of  Angels,  I  do  not  recollect  having 
said  it — that  is  to  say,  the  number  ;  I  did  certainly  say  that  I 
had  never  been  wounded  without  receiving  great  comfort  and 
help  from  God  and  from  the  Saints  Catherine  and  Margaret. 
As  to  the  crown,  on  this  also  I  have  replied.  Of  the  conclusion 
which  the  Promoter  makes  against  my  deeds,  I  refer  me  to  God, 
Our  Lord  ;  and  where  the  crown  was  made  and  forged,  I  leave 
to  Our  Lord.”1 

Article  LI  I.  By  all  these  inventions,  Jeanne  hath  so 
seduced  Christian  people  that  many  have  in  her  presence  adored 
her  as  a  Saint,  and  in  her  absence  do  adore  her  still,  composing 
in  her  honour  masses  and  collects  ;  yet  more,  going  so  far  as  to 
call  her  the  greatest  of  all  the  Saints  after  the  Virgin  Mary, 
raising  statues  and  images  to  her  in  the  Churches  of  the  Saints, 
and  bearing  about  them  medals  in  lead  or  other  metal  represent¬ 
ing  her — exactly  as  the  Church  does  to  honour  the  memory  and 
the  recollection  of  the  canonized  Saints — publicly  proclaiming 
that  she  is  sent  from  God,  and  more  Angel  than  woman.  Such 
things  are  pernicious  to  the  Christian  religion,  scandalous,  and 
prejudicial  to  the  salvation  of  souls. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  to  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  As  to  the  commencement  of  the  Article,  I  have  already 
answered  ;  as  to  the  conclusion,  I  refer  to  Our  Lord.”  2 

Article  LI  1 1.  In  contempt  of  the  orders  of  God  and  the 
Saints,  Jeanne,  in  her  presumption  and  pride,  hath  gone  so  far 
as  to  take  command  over  men  ;  she  hath  made  herself  com¬ 
mander-in-chief  and  hath  had  under  her  orders  nearly  16,000 
men,  among  whom  were  Princes,  Barons,  and  a  number  of 
Gentlemen  :  she  hath  made  them  all  fight,  being  their  principal 
captain. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  on  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  As  to  the  fact  of  being  commander-in-chief,  I  have 
answered  before  ;  if  I  have  been  commander-in-chief,  it  was  to 
fight  the  English.  As  to  the  conclusion  of  the  Article  I  refer 
me  to  God.”  3 

ARTICLE  LIV.  Jeanne  doth  behave  in  an  unseemly  manner 
with  men,  refuses  the  society  of  women,  wishes  to  live  with  men 
only,  to  be  waited  upon  by  them,  even  in  her  own  room  and  in 
the  most  private  details  :  a  like  thing  hath  never  been  seen  nor 
heard  of  a  chaste  and  pious  woman. 

1  Cf.  4th  Public  Examination,  February  27th  ;  5th  Public  Examination, 
March  1st  ;  1st  Private  Examination,  March  10th  ;  2nd  Private  Examination, 
March  12th  ;  4th  Private  Examination,  March  13th. 

2  Cf.  6th  Public  Examination,  March  3rd. 

3  Cf.  4th  Public  Examination,  February  27th. 


36° 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


“  What  have  you  to  say  on  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  It  is  true  that  my  command  was  over  men  ;  but  as  to  my 
quarters  and  lodging,  most  often  I  had  a  woman  with  me. 
And  when  I  was  engaged  in  the  war  I  slept  fully  dressed  and 
armed,  not  being  able  always  to  find  a  woman.  As  to  the 
conclusion  of  the  Article,  I  refer  me  to  God.” 

Article  LV.  Jeanne  hath  abused  the  revelations  and 
prophecies  that  she  saith  she  hath  had  from  God,  to  procure 
for  herself  lucre  and  temporal  profit  ;  by  means  of  these 
pretended  revelations,  she  hath  acquired  great  riches,  a  great 
show  and  great  estate  in  officers,  horses,  and  attire  ;  she  hath 
obtained  great  revenues  for  her  brothers  and  relations,  imitating 
in  this  the  false  prophets,  who,  to  acquire  temporal  gain  or  to 
obtain  the  favour  of  kings,  were  accustomed  to  pretend  that 
they  had  had  revelations  from  God  on  things  which  they  knew 
would  be  to  the  taste  of  their  princes  ;  abusing  the  divine 
oracles,  she  hath  thus  attributed  her  lies  to  God. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  to  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  I  have  answered  elsewhere.  As  to  the  gifts  made  to  my 
brothers,  that  which  the  King  gave  to  them  was  of  his  grace, 
without  my  asking.  As  to  the  charge  made  by  the  Promoter 
and  the  conclusion  of  the  Article,  I  refer  me  to  Our  Lord.”  1 

ARTICLE  LVI.  Jeanne  hath  many  times  proclaimed  that 
she  hath  two  counsellors  whom  she  calls  ‘  Counsellors  of  the 
Well,’  and  who  have  come  to  her  since  she  hath  been  taken 
captive,  as  appears  from  the  declaration  made  by  Catherine  de 
la  Rochelle  before  the  Officials  in  Paris.2  This  Catherine  hath 
said  that  Jeanne,  if  she  be  not  well  guarded,  will  get  out  of 
prison,  by  the  help  of  the  Devil. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  on  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  I  hold  by  what  I  have  already  said  ;  and  as  to  the 
‘  Counsellors  of  the  Well,’  I  do  not  know  what  it  means.  I 
certainly  believe  that  I  overheard  Saint  Catherine  and  Saint 
Margaret  there.  The  conclusion  of  the  Article  I  deny.” 

[And  then  she  did  swear  by  her  oath 3  that  she  did  not  wish 
that  the  Devil  should  get  her  out  of  prison.4] 

ARTICLE  LVII.  The  day  of  the  Nativity  of  the  Blessed 
Virgin,  Jeanne  did  assemble  the  whole  army  of  Charles,  to 
make  an  attack  on  the  city  of  Paris  ;  she  did  lead  the  army 
against  the  city,  affirming  that  she  would  enter  it  on  that  day — 
that  she  knew  it  by  revelation  :  she  directed  all  the  arrange¬ 
ments  possible  for  the  entry.  And,  nevertheless,  she  is  not 

1  Cf.  ist  Private  Examination,  March  ioth. 

2  This  is  the  only  known  reference  to  this  declaration  of  Catherine  de  la 
Rochelle. 

3  Her  usual  oath  was  ‘  En  nom  Dé  ’  or  1  Par  mon  martin  ’  (bâton). 

4  Cf.  6th  Public  Examination,  March  3rd. 


APPENDIX 


361 


afraid  to  deny  it  before  us  here  in  court.  And  at  other  places 
also,  at  La  Charité-sur-Loire,  for  example,  at  Pont  L’Evêque, 
at  Compiègne,  when  she  attacked  the  army  of  the  Duke  of 
Burgundy,  she  affirmed  and  foretold  that  which,  according  to 
her,  would  take  place,  saying  that  she  knew  it  by  revelation  : 
now,  not  only  did  the  things  predicted  by  her  not  come  to  pass, 
but  the  very  contrary  happened.  Before  you  she  hath  denied 
having  made  these  predictions,  because  they  were  not  realized, 
as  she  had  said  ;  but  many  people  worthy  of  trust  report 1  to 
have  heard  her  utter  them.  At  the  time  of  the  assault  on  Paris, 
she  said  that  thousands  of  angels  were  around  her,  ready  to 
bear  her  to  Paradise  if  she  should  be  killed  :  now,  when  she  was 
asked  why,  after  the  promises  made  to  her,  not  only  did  she  not 
enter  Paris  but  that  many  of  her  men  and  she  herself  had  been 
wounded  in  a  horrible  mariner  and  some  even  killed,  she 
answered  “It  was  Jesus,  who  broke  His  word  to  me.” 

“  What  have  you  to  say  to  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  As  to  the  beginning,  I  have  answered  it  already.  If  I 
think  of  more  later,  I  will  willingly  answer  then.  I  never  said 
that  Jesus  had  failed  me.”  2 

Article  LVIII.  Jeanne  did  cause  to  be  painted  a  standard 
whereon  are  two  Angels,  one  on  each  side  of  God  holding  the 
world  in  His  hand,  with  the  words  “ Jhésus  Maria"  and  other 
designs.  She  said  that  she  caused  this  standard  to  be  done  by 
the  order  of  God,  who  had  revealed  it  to  her  by  the  agency  of 
His  Angels  and  Saints.  This  standard  she  did  place  at  Rheims 
near  the  Altar,  during  the  consecration  of  Charles,  wishing,  in 
her  pride  and  vain  glory,  that  it  should  be  peculiarly  honoured. 
Also  did  she  cause  to  be  painted  arms,  in  the  which  she  placed 
two  golden  lilies  on  a  field  azure  ;  between  the  lilies  a  sword 
argent,  with  a  hilt  and  guard  gilded,  the  point  of  the  sword 
pointing  upwards  and  surmounted  with  a  crown,  gilded.  All 
this  is  display  and  vanity,  it  is  not  religion  nor  piety  ;  to  attribute 
such  vanities  to  God  and  to  the  Angels,  is  to  be  wanting  in 
respect  to  God  and  the  Saints. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  on  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  I  have  already  answered  it  ;  for  the  conclusions  drawn  by 
the  Promoter,  I  refer  to  Our  Lord.”  3 

Article  LIX.  At  St.  Denis  in  France  Jeanne  did  offer  and 
cause  to  be  placed  in  the  Church,  in  the  most  prominent  place, 
the  armour  she  wore  when  she  was  wounded  while  attacking  the 


1  These  reports  do  not  appear  in  the  official  documents. 

2  Cf.  6th  Public  Examination,  March  3rd  ;  4th  Private  Examination, 
March  13th. 

3  4th  Public  Examination,  February  28th  ;  6th  Public  Examination,  March 
3rd  ;  1st  Private  Examination,  March  10th  ;  8th  Private  Examination,  March 
17th;  9th  Private  Examination,  March  17th. 


362 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


town  of  Paris  ;  she  desired  that  this  armour  should  be  honoured 
as  relics.  In  this  same  town,  she  did  cause  to  be  lighted  candles, 
for  the  melted  wax  to  fall  on  the  heads  of  little  children,  saying 
that  this  would  bring  them  happiness,  and  making  by  such 
witchcrafts  many  divinations. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  on  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  As  to  my  armour,  I  have  answered  ;  as  to  the  candles 
lighted  and  melted,  I  deny  it.”  1 

Article  LX.  In  contempt  of  the  laws  and  sanction  of  the 
Church,  Jeanne  hath  several  times  before  this  tribunal  refused 
to  speak  the  truth  :  by  this,  she  doth  render  suspect  all  she 
hath  said  or  done  in  matters  of  faith  and  revelation,  because  she 
dares  not  reveal  them  to  ecclesiastical  judges  ;  she  dreads  the 
just  punishment  she  hath  merited  and  of  which  she  appears  her¬ 
self  to  be  conscious,  when,  on  this  question,  she  did  in  court 
urge  this  proverb,  that  “  for  speaking  the  truth,  one  was  often 
hanged.”  Also  she  hath  often  said  :  “You  will  not  know  all,” 
and  again,  “  I  would  rather  have  my  head  cut  off  than  tell 
you  all.” 

“  What  have  you  to  say  on  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  I  never  sought  delay,  except  to  answer  more  surely  on 
what  was  asked  me.  When  I  am  doubtful  if  I  ought  to  answer, 
I  ask  delay  to  know  if  I  ought  to  speak.  As  to  the  counsel  of 
my  King,  because  it  does  not  touch  on  this  case,  I  would  not 
reveal  it.  Of  the  sign  given  to  the  King,  I  have  told  it,  because 
the  clergy  did  constrain  me  to  do  so.”  2 

Article  LXI.  Admonished  of  having  to  submit  all  her 
words  and  actions  to  the  Church  Militant,  after  that  the  distinc¬ 
tion  between  the  Church  Militant  and  the  Church  Triumphant 
had  been  shewn  to  her,  Jeanne  declared  that  she  submitted  her¬ 
self  to  the  Church  Triumphant  and  refused  to  submit  to  the 
Church  Militant,  confessing  by  this  that  she  doth  not  rightly 
understand  the  Article  of  the  Faith  ‘  I  believe  in  the  Church, 
One,  Holy,  Catholic,’  and  that  she  is  in  error  on  this  point. 
She  hath  said  she  would  reveal  them  only  to  God,  and  that  she 
referred  her  acts  to  God  and  to  His  Saints  and  not  to  the 
judgment  of  the  Church. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  on  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  I  wish  with  all  my  power  to  give  honour  and  reverence  to 
the  Church  Militant.  For  referring  my  acts  to  the  Church 
Militant,  I  must  refer  to  Our  Lord  Who  caused  me  to  do  them.” 

“  Will  you  refer  to  the  Church  Militant  as  to  what  you  have 
done  ?  ” 

1  Cf.  8th  Private  Examination,  March  17th. 

2  Cf.  3rd  Public  Examination,  February  24th;  4th  Public  Examination, 
February  27th  ;  5th  Public  Examination,  March  1st  ;  6th  Public  Examination, 
March  3rd;  2nd  Private  Examination,  March  12th. 


APPENDIX 


363 


“  Send  me  the  clerk  on  Saturday  next,  and  I  will  answer.”  1 

Article  LX  1 1.  Jeanne  hath  laboured  to  scandalize  the 
people,  to  induce  them  to  believe  in  her  talk,  taking  to  herself 
the  authority  of  God  and  His  Angels,  presumptuously  seeking 
to  seduce  men  from  ecclesiastical  authority,  as  do  the  false 
prophets  who  establish  sects  of  error  and  perdition  and  separate 
themselves  from  the  unity  of  the  Church  ;  a  thing  pernicious  in 
the  Christian  religion,  which,  if  the  Bishops  did  not  provide 
against  it,  might  destroy  ecclesiastical  authority  ;  on  all  sides, 
in  fact,  raising  up  men  and  women  who,  pretending  to  have 
revelations  from  God  and  the  Angels,  will  sow  untruth  and 
error — as  hath  already  happened  to  many  since  this  woman 
hath  arisen  and  hath  begun  to  scandalize  Christian  people  and 
to  publish  her  knaveries.” 

“  What  have  you  to  say  to  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  I  will  answer  next  Saturday.” 

Article  LXIII.  Jeanne  is  not  afraid  to  lie  in  court,  and  to 
violate  her  own  oath  when  on  the  subject  of  her  revelations  ;  she 
doth  affirm  a  number  of  contradictory  things,  and  which  imply 
contradiction  among  themselves  :  she  doth  not  fear  to  hurl 
malediction  against  a  whole  nation,  the  rulers  of  that  nation  and 
its  greatest  people  ;  she  doth  speak  of  them  without  respect, 
allowing  herself  a  tone  of  mockery  and  derision  such  as  no 
woman  in  a  state  of  holiness  would  allow  ;  which  sheweth  well 
that  she  is  ruled  and  guided  by  evil  spirits  and  not,  as  she  hath 
boasted,  by  God  and  the  Angels.  Christ  said  of  false  prophets, 
“Ye  shall  know  them  by  their  fruits.” 

“  What  have  you  to  say  to  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  I  refer  to  what  I  have  said,  and,  for  the  conclusion,  to  God 
Our  Lord.”2 

Article  LXIV.  Jeanne  doth  pretend  to  know  that  she  hath 
obtained  pardon  of  the  sin  committed  when,  in  despair,  driven 
by  the  evil  spirits,  she  threw  herself  from  the  tower  of  the  Castle 
at  Beaurevoir  :  yet  the  Scriptures  say  that  no  one  knoweth  if  he 
is  worthy  of  love  or  hate,  nor,  in  consequence,  if  he  is  purged  of 
sin  and  justified. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  on  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  I  have  answered  you,  and  to  that  I  refer.  Of  the  charge 
and  the  conclusion,  I  refer  me  to  Our  Lord.” 

Article  LXV.  Many  times  Jeanne  hath  said  that  she  asked 
of  God  to  send  her  special  revelations  by  the  Angels  and  by  the 
Saints  Catherine  and  Margaret  upon  what  she  ought  to  do  :  for 
example,  in  the  matter  of  learning  if  she  ought  to  make  known 

1  Cf.  7th  Private  Examination,  March  1 5th  ;  9th  Private  Examination, 
March  17th. 

2  Cf.  4th  Public  Examination,  February  27th;  5th  Public  Examination, 
March  1st. 


36  4 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


the  truth  in  court  on  certain  points  and  certain  facts  which  are 
personal  to  herself.  It  is  to  tempt  God,  to  ask  Him  that  which 
ought  not  to  be  asked  of  Him,  because  there  is  no  need,  and  man 
may  himself  suffice  for  it  by  his  own  research.  Thus,  by  the 
leap  from  the  tower  of  Beaurevoir  she  doth  seem  manifestly  to 
have  tempted  God. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  on  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  I  have  answered  it,  and  will  not,  without  the  leave  of  Our 
Lord,  reveal  what  has  been  revealed  to  me.  It  is  not  without 
need  that  I  beseech  God.  I  would  He  might  send  me  yet  more, 
so  that  it  might  be  discerned  that  I  am  come  from  God  and  that 
it  is  He  Who  hath  sent  me.” 

Article  LXVI.  Of  many  of  the  deeds  and  words  that 
have  just  been  noticed  some  are  opposed  to  the  Divine  Law,  to 
Gospel  Law,  to  Canon  Law,  to  Civil  Law,  and  to  the  rules  of 
General  Councils  ;  others  are  witchcrafts,  divinations,  or  super¬ 
stitions  ;  others  breathe  heresy  and  errors  in  faith  ;  others  are 
attempts  against  peace  and  tend  to  the  effusion  of  human  blood  ; 
others  constitute  blasphemies  against  God  and  the  Saints  and 
are  wounding  to  pious  ears.  In  all  this,  the  Accused,  by  her 
audacious  temerity,  at  the  instigation  of  the  Devil,  hath  offended 
God  and  sinned  against  Holy  Church  ;  she  hath  been  a  cause  of 
scandal  ;  she  is  on  all  these  points  notoriously  defamed  :  she 
should  be  punished  and  corrected  by  you. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  to  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  I  am  a  good  Christian  ;  for  all  with  which  you  charge  me 
I  refer  to  Our  Lord.” 

Article  LXVI  I.  All  and  each  of  these  transgressions  the 
Accused  hath  committed,  perpetrated,  said,  uttered,  recited,  dog¬ 
matized,  promulgated,  put  in  action,  as  much  in  your  jurisdiction 
as  elsewhere,  in  many  and  divers  places  of  this  realm,  not  once 
only  but  many  times,  in  divers  times,  days  and  hours.  She  hath 
fallen  again  and  again  into  all  these  errors  ;  she  hath  furnished 
counsel,  help,  and  favour  to  those  who  have  committed  them 
with  her. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  to  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  I  deny  it.” 

Article  LXVI  1 1.  Because  a  persistent  clamour  hath  struck 
your  ears  not  once  only,  but  many  times  ;  because  public  rumour 
and  an  information  based  on  what  hath  gone  before  hath  made 
you  recognize  that  the  Accused  is  vehemently  suspect  and 
defamed  ;  you  have  decreed  that  there  is  reason  to  bring  an 
action  against  her,  and  to  proceed  therein,  by  you  or  one  of  you, 
by  causing  the  said  woman  to  be  cited,  and  by  setting  her  to 
answer — as  hath  been  done. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  to  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  This  Article  concerns  the  Judges.” 


APPENDIX 


365 


Article  LX  IX.  By  all  which  precedes,  the  Accused  is 
vehemently  suspect,  scandalized  and  as  far  as  possible  defamed 
by  all  honest  and  serious  people.  But  by  all  that  hath  gone 
before  she  is  neither  corrected  nor  amended  ;  she  hath  postponed 
and  doth  still  postpone  ;  she  hath  refused  and  doth  still  refuse  to 
correct  or  amend  herself  ;  she  hath  continued  and  persevered, 
doth  continue  and  persevere,  in  her  errors,  although  by  you  the 
Judges,  and  by  a  great  number  of  notable  clergy,  and  other 
honest  persons,  she  hath  been  charitably  and  otherwise  duly 
and  sufficiently  warned,  summoned  and  required. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  to  this  Article  ?  ” 

“The  misdeeds  brought  forward  against  me  by  the  Promoter, 
I  have  not  done.  For  the  rest,  I  refer  me  to  God.  Of  all  the 
misdeeds  brought  forward  against  me,  I  do  not  think  I  have 
committed  any  against  the  Christian  faith.” 

“If  you  have  done  anything  against  the  Christian  faith,  will 
you  submit  to  the  Church  and  to  those  to  whom  correction 
belongs  ?” 

“  On  Saturday,  after  dinner,  I  will  answer  you.” 

Article  LXX.  All  and  each  of  these  propositions  contained 
in  these  Articles  are  true,  notorious  and  manifest  ;  the  public 
voice  and  rumour  hath  occupied  and  doth  occupy  itself  there¬ 
with  ;  the  Accused  hath  recognized  and  acknowledged  these 
things  as  true,  many  times  and  sufficiently,  before  witnesses 
proved  and  worthy  of  belief,  in  and  out  of  court. 

“  What  have  you  to  say  on  this  Article  ?  ” 

“  I  deny  all  that  I  have  not  recognized  and  confessed.” 

CONCLUSION. — Having  attained  conviction  of  the  truth  of  all 
or  part  of  the  preceding  Articles  in  a  manner  to  justify  the  pro¬ 
posed  end,  which  is  that  you  may  be  enabled  to  pronounce  in 
recognition  of  the  cause,  the  Promoter  doth  conclude  that  it  will  be 
ultimately  judged  by  you,  upon  the  whole,  according  to  law 
and  right. 

And  the  said  Promoter  humbly  imploreth  your  offices  on  all 
these  things,  as  may  be  suitable. 


366 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


The  Seventy  Articles  preceding  [p.  341]  which  form  the 
Act  of  Accusation  for  the  Trial,  were  reduced  to  Twelve  by 
Maître  Nicolas  Midi  ;  the  twelve  Articles  are  here  given. 


THE  TWELVE  ARTICLES  OF  ACCUSATION. 

ARTICLE  I. 

A  woman  doth  say  and  affirm  that  when  she  was  of  the  age 
of  thirteen  years  or  thereabouts,  she  did,  with  her  bodily  eyes, 
see  Saint  Michael  come  to  comfort  her,  and  from  time  to  time 
also  Saint  Gabriel  ;  that  both  the  one  and  the  other  appeared 
to  her  in  bodily  form.  Sometimes  also  she  hath  seen  a  great 
multitude  of  Angels  ;  since  then,  Saint  Catherine  and  Saint 
Margaret  have  shewn  themselves  to  her  in  bodily  form  ;  every 
day  she  sees  these  two  Saints  and  hears  their  voices  ;  she  hath 
often  kissed  and  embraced  them,  and  sometimes  she  hath 
touched  them,  in  a  physical  and  corporeal  manner.  She  hath 
seen  the  heads  of  these  Angels  and  these  Saints,  but  of  the  rest 
of  their  persons  and  of  their  dress  she  will  say  nothing.  The 
said  Saint  Catherine  and  Saint  Margaret  have  also  formerly 
spoken  to  her  near  a  spring  which  flows  at  the  foot  of  a  great 
tree,  called  in  the  neighbourhood  “  The  Fairies’  Tree.”  This 
spring  and  this  tree  nevertheless  have  been,  it  is  said,  frequented 
by  fairies  ;  persons  ill  of  fever  have  repaired  there  in  great 
numbers  to  recover  their  health.  This  spring  and  this  tree  are 
nevertheless  in  a  profane  place.  There  and  elsewhere  she  hath 
often  venerated  these  two  Saints,  and  hath  done  them  obeisance. 

Besides  this,  she  doth  say  that  Saint  Catherine  and  Saint 
Margaret  appear  and  shew  themselves  to  her  adorned  with  most 
beautiful  and  most  precious  crowns.  At  this  time  and  very 
often  since,  they  have  announced  to  her,  by  the  order  of  God, 
that  she  was  to  go  in  search  of  a  certain  secular  Prince, 
promising  that,  by  her  help  and  succour,  this  same  Prince 
should,  by  force  of  arms,  recover  a  great  temporal  domain  and 
the  honour  of  this  world,  and  should  obtain  victory  over  his 
adversaries  :  this  same  Prince  received  her,  and  furnished  her 
with  arms  and  soldiers  for  the  carrying  out  of  what  has  just  been 
said.  Further,  Saint  Catherine  and  Saint  Margaret  have 
ordered  this  same  woman,  by  the  command  of  God,  to  take  and 
to  wear  a  man’s  dress,  which  she  hath  borne  and  doth  still  bear, 
persisting  in  obeying  this  order,  to  the  extent  that  she  saith  she 
would  rather  die  than  give  up  this  dress,  adding  that  she  will 
only  abandon  it  by  the  express  order  of  God.  She  hath  even 


APPENDIX 


367 


preferred  not  to  assist  in  the  Office  of  the  Mass  and  to  deprive 
herself  of  the  Holy  Communion  of  the  Eucharist,  at  the  time 
when  the  Church  commands  the  faithful  to  receive  it,  rather  than 
to  resume  female  dress  and  to  quit  this  man’s  habit. 

The  said  woman  hath  gone  so  far,  under  the  inspiration  of 
these  two  Saints,  that  without  the  knowledge  and  against  the 
will  of  her  parents,  at  the  age  of  seventeen,  she  did  quit  the 
paternal  roof  and  joined  herself  to  a  great  troop  of  soldiers,  with 
whom  she  lived  night  and  day,  having  never  had,  or  at  least 
very  rarely,  another  woman  with  her.  These  two  Saints  have 
said  and  prescribed  to  her  many  other  things  for  the  which  she 
declares  herself  sent  by  the  God  of  Heaven  and  the  Church 
Victorious,  composed  of  Saints  who  already  enjoy  celestial 
blessedness  ;  it  is  to  them  that  she  submits  as  right  all  she  hath 
done.  As  to  the  Church  Militant,  she  hath  deferred  and  refused 
to  submit  herself,  her  deeds,  and  her  words  to  it,  although  many 
times  required  and  admonished  so  to  do,  saying  always  that  it 
is  impossible  to  her  to  do  contrary  to  what  she  hath,  in  her 
Trial,  affirmed  to  have  done  by  the  order  of  God  ;  and  that  for 
these  things  she  will  not  refer  to  the  decision  or  the  judgment 
of  any  man  alive,  but  to  the  judgment  of  God  alone. 

The  said  Saints  have  revealed  to  this  woman  that  she  will 
obtain  the  glory  of  the  blessed  and  will  gain  the  salvation  of  her 
soul  if  she  doth  preserve  the  virginity  which  she  vowed  to  these 
Saints  the  first  time  she  saw  and  recognized  them.  As  a  result 
of  this  revelation,  she  doth  affirm  that  she  is  as  assured  of  her 
salvation  as  if,  now  and  in  fact,  she  were  already  in  the  Kingdom 
of  Heaven. 


ARTICLE  II. 

The  same  woman  saith  that  the  sign  which  was  received  by 
the  Prince  to  whom  she  was  sent — a  sign  which  decided  this 
Prince  to  believe  in  her  and  to  aid  her  to  carry  on  the  war— was, 
that  Saint  Michael  came  to  the  said  Prince,  accompanied  by  a 
multitude  of  Angels,  of  which  some  had  crowns  and  others  had 
wings  ;  with  them  also  were  Saint  Catherine  and  Saint  Margaret. 
She  and  the  Angel  proceeded  together,  their  feet  touching  the 
ground,  by  the  road,  the  staircase,  and  the  Prince’s  chamber  ; 
the  Angel  was  accompanied  by  other  Angels  and  by  the  said 
two  Saints  ;  he  gave  to  the  Prince  a  crown,  very  precious  and 
made  of  the  purest  gold,  bowing  before  him  and  doing  him 
reverence.  Once  she  hath  said  that  when  her  Prince  received 
this  sign,  it  seemed  to  her  he  was  alone,  although  many  other 
persons  were  close  by  ;  another  time  she  hath  said  that  it  seemed 
to  her  that  an  Archbishop  had  received  the  sign  of  the  crown 
and  had  given  it  to  the  Prince,  in  the  presence  of  several 
temporal  lords. 


368 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


ARTICLE  III. 

The  same  woman  doth  say  and  affirm  that  he  who  visits  her 
is  Saint  Michael  ;  that  which  makes  her  believe  in  him  is  the 
good  counsel,  the  comfort,  and  the  good  teaching  which  he  doth 
give  her,  and  because  he  hath  named  himself  to  her,  and  hath 
told  her  that  he  was  Saint  Michael.  She  hath  in  the  same  way 
recognized  Saint  Catherine  and  Saint  Margaret  ;  she  knoweth 
how  to  distinguish  the  one  from  the  other,  because  they  name 
themselves  to  her  and  greet  her. 

On  the  subject  of  the  pretended  Saint  Michael  who  appeared  to 
her,  she  believes  that  it  is  truly  Saint  Michael  ;  and  the  sayings 
and  deeds  of  this  Michael  she  believes  to  be  true  and  good  as 
firmly  as  she  believes  that  Our  Lord  Jesus  suffered  and  died  for 
our  redemption. 


ARTICLE  IV. 

The  same  woman  doth  say  and  affirm  that  she  is  certain  of 
what  should  happen  on  the  subject  of  certain  future  things,  as 
surely  as  she  is  certain  of  those  which  she  sees  passing  under  her 
eyes.  On  the  subject  of  occult  things  she  doth  boast  to  know 
or  to  have  known  them  by  means  of  the  revelations  which  have 
been  made  to  her  by  the  Voices  of  Saint  Catherine  and  Saint 
Margaret  :  for  example,  that  she  will  be  delivered  from  her 
captivity,  and  that  the  French  will  do,  under  her  guidance,  the 
greatest  exploits  that  they  have  ever  done  in  all  Christendom  ; 
for  example,  again,  she  saith  she  hath  known  by  revelation  with¬ 
out  any  one  pointing  them  out  to  her,  men  whom  she  had  never 
seen,  and  herself  revealed  and  pointed  out  the  existence  of  a 
sword  which  was  hidden  in  the  earth. 

ARTICLE  V. 

The  same  woman  doth  say  and  affirm  that,  by  the  command 
and  good  pleasure  of  God,  she  hath  taken  and  borne  and  con- 
tinueth  still  to  bear  a  man’s  dress.  Further,  she  doth  say  that, 
because  she  hath  had  God’s  command  to  bear  this  habit,  it  was 
necessary  that  she  should  have  a  short  tunic,  cap,  jerkin,  breeches, 
hose  with  many  points,  hair  cut  close  above  her  ears,  keeping  no 
garment  which  might  indicate  her  sex.  She  doth  say  and  affirm 
that  she  hath,  in  this  dress,  several  times  received  the  Sacrament 
of  the  Eucharist.  She  hath  not  desired  and  doth  still  not  desire 
to  resume  woman’s  dress,  although  many  times  required  and 
charitably  admonished  so  to  do.  At  times  she  saith  that  she 
would  rather  die  than  leave  off  the  dress  which  she  bears  ;  at 
times  she  saith  that  she  will  leave  it  off  only  by  the  command  of 
God.  She  doth  also  say,  that  if  she  again  found  herself  with  this 


APPENDIX 


369 


dress  among  those  for  whom  she  hath  armed  herself, 
she  would  act  as  she  did  before  her  capture  ;  and  this  would  be, 
she  doth  add,  one  of  the  greatest  benefits  that  could  happen  to 
the  whole  kingdom  of  France.  Also,  for  nothing  in  the  world 
will  she  swear  to  wear  this  dress  or  to  take  arms  no  more.  In 
all  this  she  doth  say  that  she  hath  done  and  doeth  well,  obeying 
God  and  His  Commandments. 

ARTICLE  VI. 

The  same  woman  doth  avow  and  acknowledge  that  she  hath 
caused  to  be  written  many  letters  and  warnings  on  the  which 
were  placed  these  names  “  J  hé  sus  Maria”  with  the  sign  of  the 
Cross.  Sometimes,  she  put  a  cross,  and  between  her  and  her 
party  this  signified  that  she  did  not  wish  them  to  do  what  in  this 
same  letter  she  told  them  to  do.  At  other  times  she  caused  it 
to  be  written  that  she  would  have  those  who  did  not  obey  her 
warnings  killed,  and  “by  the  blows  she  would  give  they  would 
see  who  had  the  true  right  from  the  God  of  Heaven.”  She  hath 
often  said  that  she  hath  done  nothing  but  by  the  revelation  and 
order  of  God. 


ARTICLE  VII. 

The  same  woman  doth  say  and  confess  that,  being  of  the  age  of 
seventeen,  by  revelation,  as  she  saith,  and  spontaneously,  she  went 
to  seek  a  Knight  whom  she  had  never  seen,  abandoning  for  this 
the  paternal  roof,  against  the  will  of  her  parents.  These,  when 
they  had  knowledge  of  her  departure,  were  wild  with  grief.  This 
same  woman  ordered  the  Knight  to  conduct  her,  or  to  have  her 
conducted,  to  the  Prince  already  mentioned.  The  said  Knight, 
or  Captain,  furnished  this  woman,  on  her  demand,  with  a  man’s 
dress  and  a  sword,  and  appointed  and  commanded  for  her  con¬ 
duct  a  Knight,  a  Squire,  and  four  servants.  When  they  had 
come  to  the  Prince,  this  woman  told  him  that  she  wished  to 
fight  against  his  adversaries.  She  promised  to  establish  him  in 
great  sovereignty  and  to  vanquish  his  enemies  ;  and  for  this  she 
had  been  sent  by  the  God  of  Heaven.  She  saith  she  hath  acted 
well,  having  had  revelation  and  the  command  of  God. 

ARTICLE  VIII. 

The  same  woman  doth  say  and  affirm  that  she,  of  herself,  no 
one  compelling  her,  did  throw  herself  down  from  a  very  high 
tower,  wishing  rather  to  die  than  to  be  placed  in  the  hands  of  her 
enemies  and  to  live  after  the  destruction  of  the  town  of  Com- 
piègne.  She  saith  also  that  she  was  not  able  to  avoid  this  fall, 

B  B 


37° 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


although  Saint  Catherine  and  Saint  Margaret  had  forbidden  it  to 
her.  To  offend  them  is,  she  herself  saith,  a  great  sin.  But  she 
knoweth  that  this  sin  was  remitted  to  her  after  she  had  confessed 
it  ;  she  saith  she  received  revelation  of  this. 

ARTICLE  IX. 

The  same  woman  saith  that  Saint  Catherine  and  Saint 
Margaret  have  promised  to  conduct  her  to  Paradise,  if  she  doth 
preserve  with  care  the  virginity  of  body  and  soul  which  she 
vowed  to  them.  Of  this  she  saith  she  is  as  assured  as  if  she  were 
already  in  the  glory  of  the  blessed.  She  doth  not  think  she  hath 
committed  mortal  sin  ;  for,  if  she  were  in  a  state  of  mortal  sin, 
she  saith  it  seemeth  to  her  that  Saint  Catherine  and  Saint 
Margaret  would  not  visit  her  each  day  as  they  do. 

ARTICLE  X. 

The  same  woman  doth  say  and  affirm  that  God  doth  love 
sundry  persons  still  living,  designated  by  her  and  named,  more 
than  He  doth  this  woman  :  this,  she  knoweth  by  revelation  from 
Saint  Catherine  and  Saint  Margaret,  who  speak  frequently  to 
her,  but  in  French  and  not  in  English,  because  these  Saints  are 
not  on  the  side  of  the  English.  Since  she  hath  known  by  revela¬ 
tion  that  their  Voices  were  for  the  Prince  aforesaid  she  hath  ceased 
to  love  the  Burgundians. 


ARTICLE  XI. 

The  same  woman  doth  say  and  confess  that  to  the  Voices  and 
the  Spirits  now  under  consideration,  whom  she  calls  Michael, 
Gabriel,  Catherine  and  Margaret,  she  doth  often  do  reverence, 
uncovering,  bending  the  knee,  kissing  the  earth  on  which  they 
walk,  vowing  to  them  her  virginity,  at  times  kissing  and 
embracing  Saint  Catherine  and  Saint  Margaret  ;  she  hath 
touched  them  with  her  own  hands,  corporeally  and  physically  ; 
she  hath  asked  of  them  counsel  and  help  ;  at  times  she  doth  call 
them,  and  they  even  come  to  her  without  being  called  ;  she 
accedes  to  and  obeys  their  counsels  and  their  commands  ;  she 
hath  always  obeyed  them,  without  having  asked  counsel  thereon 
from  whomsoever  it  be — father,  mother,  curé,  prelate,  or  any 
ecclesiastic  whatsoever.  She  doth  believe  no  less  firmly  that  the 
Voices  and  the  revelations  she  receives  by  the  medium  of  the 
Saints  of  whom  she  speaks  come  from  God  and  by  His  order  : 
she  believes  it  as  firmly  as  she  believes  the  Christian  Faith  and 
that  Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  suffered  for  us  Death  and  Passion. 
She  doth  add  that,  if  it  were  an  evil  spirit  who  had  come  to  her 


APPENDIX 


371 


under  the  appearance  and  mask  of  Saint  Michael  she  would  quite 
well  have  known  how  to  distinguish  that  it  was  not  Saint  Michael. 
Finally  she  saith,  that  of  her  own  wish  and  without  any  one 
pressing  her  thereto,  she  hath  sworn  to  Saint  Catherine  and  Saint 
Margaret,  who  appeared  to  her,  to  reveal  to  no  one  the  sign  of 
the  crown  given  to  the  Prince  to  whom  she  was  sent,  until  she 
should  have  permission  from  God  to  reveal  it. 

ARTICLE  XII. 

The  same  woman  doth  say  and  confess  that  if  the  Church 
wished  that  she  should  do  anything  contrary  to  the  order  she 
doth  pretend  to  have  received  from  God,  she  would  not  consent, 
whatsoever  it  might  be.  She  doth  affirm  that  she  knows  well, 
that  all  contained  in  her  Trial  has  come  to  her  by  the  order  of 
God,  and  it  would  be  impossible  for  her  to  do  contrary  to  what 
she  doth.  Thereupon  she  doth  not  wish  to  refer  to  the  decision 
of  the  Church  Militant,  nor  to  any  one,  whoever  it  be  in  the 
world,  but  to  God  alone,  Our  Lord,  Whose  commands  she  doth 
always  execute,  above  all  in  what  doth  concern  her  revelations, 
and  in  what  she  doth  in  consequence.  This  answer  and  all  the 
others  are  not  from  her  own  head,  she  saith,  but  she  hath  made 
and  given  them  by  order  of  her  Voices  and  revelations  :  she  doth 
persist  [in  this],  although  by  the  Judges  and  others  of  the 
Assessors,  the  Article  of  Faith,  ‘  The  Church,  One,  Holy, 
Catholic,’  hath  often  been  recalled  to  her,  and  it  hath  often  been 
shewn  to  her  that  all  the  faithful  are  bound  to  obey  the  Church 
Militant  and  to  submit  to  it  their  words  and  actions — above  all 
in  matters  of  faith  and  in  all  which  concerns  sacred  Doctrine 
and  Ecclesiastical  sanction. 


INTRODUCTORY  NOTE  TO  THE  REHABILITATION. 

It  was  not  until  nearly  twenty  years  after  the  death  of  Jeanne 
d’Arc  that  any  attempt  was  made  by  those  in  authority  to 
vindicate  her  memory  or  even  to  acknowledge  the  services  she 
had  rendered  to  the  kingdom  of  France. 

In  1450,  however,  after  the  occupation  of  Normandy  and  the 
submission  of  the  town  of  Rouen,  the  idea  appeared  to  have 
occurred  to  Charles  VII.  that  to  suffer  the  stigma  of  heresy  and 
witchcraft  to  rest  on  the  name  of  the  Maid  of  Orleans,  who  had 
“  led  him  to  his  anointing,”  was  to  throw  a  doubt  upon  his  own 
orthodoxy,  and  to  justify  the  taunt  of  his  enemies  that  he  had 
been  the  mere  tool  of  “  a  lyme  of  the  Fiend.”  On  February 
13th,  1450,  therefore,  he  issued  a  Declaration  empowering  one 

B  B  2 


372 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


of  fyis  Counsellors,  Guillaume  Bouillé,  to  enquire  into  the  con¬ 
duct  of  the  Trial  undertaken  against  Jeanne  by  “our  ancient 
enemies  the  English,”  who,  “  against  reason,  had  cruelly  put 
her  to  death,”  and  to  report  the  result  of  his  investigations  to 
the  Council. 

Bouillé  was  Rector  of  the  University  of  Paris,  Dean  of  the 
Theological  Faculty,  Dean  of  Noyon,  a  Member  of  the  Great 
Council,  and  at  one  time  Ambassador  to  Rome.  It  is  very 
probable  that  he  was  the  author  of  the  first  memorial  issued  in 
favour  of  Jeanne,  throwing  doubts  upon  the  validity  of  the 
Rouen  sentence — a  memorial  which,  according  to  some,  was  prior 
to  the  Enquiry  of  1450  with  which  we  are  now  dealing. 

It  was  to  an  able  and  competent  person  therefore,  that  Charles 
committed  the  Enquiry,  which  was  held  at  Rouen  on  March  4th 
and  5th,  less  than  three  weeks  after  the  issue  of  the  Royal 
Mandate. 

Seven  witnesses  were  heard  ;  namely,  Toutmouillé,  de  la 
Pierre,  Ladvenu,  and  Duval, — all  Dominicans  of  Saint  Jacques, 
Rouen  ;  the  Notary  Manchon,  the  Usher  Massieu,  and  Beaupère, 
one  of  the  chief  Examiners.  But  the  Court  took  no  further 
interest  in  the  matter  ;  and,  although  in  the  opinion  of  several 
legal  authorities  consulted  by  De  Bouillé,  the  Process  of  Condem¬ 
nation  was  held  as  null  and  void,  the  proceedings  were  carried 
no  further  :  the  Enquiry  was  forwarded  to  the  King  and  Council, 
and  the  whole  question  once  more  fell  into  abeyance. 

Two  years  later,  the  Cardinal-Bishop  of  Digne,  Guillaume 
d’Estouteville,  Legate  in  France  for  Pope  Nicholas  V.  took  up 
the  Enquiry,  at  the  formal  request  of  Isabel  d’Arc,  mother  of  the 
Maid,  who  claimed,  on  Civil  as  well  as  on  Ecclesiastical  authority, 
the  rehabilitation  of  her  daughter,  and  the  restoration  of  the 
family  to  the  position  they  had  lost  by  the  imputation  of  heresy 
cast  on  them  in  the  person  of  one  of  their  number. 

The  failure  of  the  former  Enquiry  was  due,  in  great  part,  to 
the  fear  of  arousing  the  hostility  of  the  English,  and  also  of 
meeting  with  opposition  from  the  Ecclesiastical  authorities,  by 
bringing  forward  an  action  instituted  by  the  Sovereign  against 
proceedings  which  had  received  the  unquestioned  sanction  of 
the  Holy  Office  and  the  University  of  Paris,  and  which  were  also 
guaranteed  by  the  protection  of  the  English  King.  The  expedient 
of  shifting  the  entire  responsibility  on  to  the  shoulders  of  the 
d’Arc  family  obviated  these  difficulties,  and  enabled  the  Case  to 
be  taken  as  a  purely  private  one,  an  appeal  against  a  judgment 
given  on  false  premisses.  The  reversal  of  this  verdict  could 
offend  no  one,  as  the  action  was  brought  against  Defendants 
none  of  whom  were  living  to  meet  the  charge,  and  who  could 
therefore  be  represented  only  by  their  titular  legal  successors. 
Their  innocence  in  the  whole  matter  made  the  case  a  perfectly 


APPENDIX  373 

harmless  one — a  legal  fiction  which  might  satisfy  many  and 
could  injure  none. 

The  first  act  of  the  Cardinal  d’Estouteville  was  to  associate 
with  himself  the  Prior  of  the  Convent  of  the  Jacobins  at  Paris, 
Jean  Bréhal,  Inquisitor  of  France  ;  and,  together,  they  proceeded 
to  an  Enquiry  at  Rouen  in  April,  1452,  at  which  witnesses  to  the 
number  of  twenty-one,  including  some  of  those  heard  in  1450, 
gave  their  evidence.  The  Cardinal  being  obliged  by  his  duties 
to  leave  Rouen,  the  Enquiry  was  left  in  the  hands  of  Bréhal  and 
of  Philippe  la  Rose,  the  Treasurer  of  the  Cathedral.  There  were 
still  difficulties  in  the  way.  The  Pope  feared  to  wound  English 
susceptibilities;  and,  in  spite  of  the  efforts  of  the  Cardinal  and  of 
the  petition  presented  to  Rome  by  Isabel  d’Arc  and  her  two 
sons,  the  proceeding  languished  ;  and  three  more  years  passed 
without  any  definite  step  being  taken. 

In  1455,’  however,  the  Pope  Nicholas  V.  died,  and  his  successor 
Calixtus  III.  [Borgia],  less  timorous,  acceded  to  the  request  of  the 
d’Arc  family,  granting  a  Rescript  authorizing  the  process  of  re¬ 
vision,  and  appointing  as  delegates  for  the  Trial  the  Archbishop 
of  Rheims  (Jean  Jouvenal  des  Ursins),  the  Bishop  of  Paris 
(Guillaume  Chartier),  and  the  Bishop  of  Coutances  (Richard  de 
Longueil),  who  afterwards  associated  with  themselves  the 
Inquisitor,  Jean  Bréhal. 

The  Case  was  solemnly  opened  on  November  7th,  1455.  in 
the  Church  of  Notre  Dame  at  Paris,  when  the  mother  and 
brothers  of  the  Maid  came  before  the  Court  to  present  their 
humble  petition  for  a  revision  of  her  sentence,  demanding  only 
“  the  triumph  of  truth  and  justice.”  The  Court  heard  the  request 
with  some  emotion.  When  Isabel  d’Arc  threw  herself  at  the  feet 
of  the  Commissioners,  shewing  the  Papal  Rescript  and  weeping 
aloud,  while  her  Advocate,  Pierre  Maugier,  and  his  assistants 
prayed  for  justice  for  her  and  for  the  memory  of  her  martyred 
daughter,  so  many  of  those  present  joined  aloud  in  the  petition, 
that  at  last,  we  are  told,  it  seemed  that  one  great  cry  for  justice 
broke  from  the  multitude. 

The  Commissioners  formally  received  the  petition,  and 
appointed  November  17th,  ten  days  later,  for  its  consideration, 
warning  the  Petitioners  of  the  possible  danger  of  a  confirmation 
of  the  previous  Trial,  instead  of  the  reversal  they  looked  for,  but 
promising  careful  consideration  of  the  Case  should  they  persist 
in  their  appeal. 

On  November  17th  the  Court  met  a  second  time  at  Notre 
Dame  ;  the  Papal  Rescript  was  solemnly  read,  and  the  Advocate 
for  the  Petitioners  brought  his  formal  accusation  against  the 
Judges  and  Promoter  of  the  late  Trial — none  of  whom,  as  has 
been  said,  were  then  alive — carefully  excluding  the  Assessors 
concerned  in  the  case,  who,  he  said,  were  led  to  wrong  conclusions 


374 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


by  false  deductions.  At  the  close  of  the  Advocate’s  address, 
the  Archbishop  of  Rheims  and  the  Bishop  of  Paris  declared 
themselves  ready  to  act  as  Judges  in  the  Appeal  Case,  in  con¬ 
junction  with  4he  Inquisitor  Bréhal,  appointing  the  following 
December  I2th  for  the  inaugural  sitting,  and  citing  all  those 
concerned  in  this  Case  to  appear  before  them  on  that  day. 

The  Trial  opened  on  December  12th.  The  family  of  d’Arc 
were  represented  by  the  Procurator,  Guillaume  Prévosteau,  who 
had  formerly  been  appointed  Promoter  in  the  case  instituted  by 
Cardinal  d’Estouteville  :  but  the  Plaintiffs  alone  were  represented, 
no  one  appearing  to  answer  for  either  of  the  accused  Judges  nor 
for  the  Promoter  d’Estivet.  The  Case  was  adjourned  until 
December  15  th,  in  order  that  Advocates  for  the  Defendants 
might  be  summoned  to  appear. 

The  Court  met  accordingly  on  the  15th  December;  but,  in 
spite  of  mandates  and  citations  placed  on  Church-doors  and 
other  public  places,  no  one  was  found  to  come  forward  as  re¬ 
presentatives  of  the  accused  ;  and  a  further  delay  of  five  days 
was  therefore  granted.  At  the  same  time,  the  Commissioners 
formally  constituted  the  Tribunal  and  appointed  their  Officers  : 
Simon  Chapitault  as  Promoter  or  Advocate-General,  Ferrebouc 
and  Lecomte  as  Registrars  for  the  Court.  The  Registrars  of 
the  former  Trial,  being  present,  were  asked  if  they  wished  in 
any  way  to  defend  the  Process  in  which  they  had  been  concerned  ; 
but,  on  their  replying  in  the  negative,  they  were  requested  to  lay 
before  the  Court  any  documents  relating  to  the  previous  Trial 
which  they  might  have  in  their  possession.  By  this  means  the 
Commissioners  were  enabled  to  have  before  them  the  actual 
Minute  of  the  Trial  of  1431,  written  in  Manchon’s  own  hand  and 
presented  by  him,  and  also  to  obtain  his  formal  attestation  of 
the  authenticity  of  the  Official  Procès-Verbal,  upon  which  their 
further  enquiries  were  to  be  based. 

The  “Preliminary  Enquiry”  made  in  1452,  by  command  of 
the  Cardinal  d’Estouteville  and  his  delegates,  was  formally  an¬ 
nexed,  by  request  of  the  Promoter,  to  the  official  documents  of 
the  Trial  of  Rehabilitation  ;  but  the  earlier  Enquiry  of  1450, 
having  been  made  under  secular  authority,  was  unfortunately 
treated  as  of  no  value,  and  not  included  in  the  authorized 
Case. 

On  December  18th  the  Promoter  lodged  his  request  on  the 
part  of  the  family  of  d’Arc,  and  prayed  for  a  Judgment  of  Nullity 
on  the  previous  sentence,  on  the  ground  that,  both  in  form  and 
substantiation,  it  was  null  and  void,  and  that  it  should  therefore 
be  publicly  and  legally  so  declared. 

On  December  20th — the  last  day  appointed  for  the  appear¬ 
ance  of  any  representatives  of  the  accused — only  the  Advocate 
for  the  family  of  Cauchon  presented  himself.  He  made  a 


APPENDIX 


37  5 


declaration  to  the  effect  that  the  heirs  of  the  late  Bishop  had  no 
desire  to  maintain  the  validity  of  a  Trial  with  which  they  had 
no  concern,  and  which  took  place  either  before  they  were  born 
or  when  they  were  very  little  children  ;  that  Jeanne  had  been 
the  victim  of  the  hatred  of  the  English,  and  that  the^ore  the 
responsibility  fell  rather  upon  them  ;  finally  tney  u<_ss^d  that 
the  Rehabilitation  of  Jeanne  might  not  be  to  their  prejudice, 
invoking  for  themselves  the  benefits  of  the  King’s  amnesty 
granted  after  the  conquest  of  Normandy. 

The  Procurator  having  declared  his  willingness  to  agree,  the 
heirs  of  Cauchon  were  put  out  of  the  question  ;  and  the  other 
Defendants,  not  having  appeared,  were  declared  contumacious, 
and  cited  once  more  to  appear  on  February  16th  following.  On 
the  same  day  [Dec.  20th]  the  Promoter  formulated  his  Accu¬ 
sation,  and  brought  before  the  notice  of  the  Court  certain  special 
points  in  the  previous  Trial  which  tended  to  vitiate  the  whole  : 
1st,  the  intervention  of  the  hidden  registrars  and  the  alterations, 
additions,  and  omissions  made  in  the  Twelve  Articles  ;  2nd,  the 
suppression  of  the  Preliminary  Enquiry,  and  the  obvious  pre¬ 
disposition  of  the  Judges  ;  3rd,  the  incompetence  of  the  Court, 
and  the  unfairness  of  the  treatment  received  throughout  by  the 
Accused,  culminating  in  an  illegal  sentence  and  an  irregular 
execution. 

The  Promoter  then  asked  that  enquiries  might  be  instituted 
into  the  'ife  and  conduct  of  the  Maid,  and  as  to  the  manner  in 
which  she  had  undertaken  the  reconquest  of  the  country. 
Orders  were  accordingly  given,  that  information  should  at  once 
be  taken  at  Domremy  and  Vaucouleurs,  under  the  direction  of 
Reginald  de  Chichery,  Dean  of  Vaucouleurs,  and  of  Wautrin 
Thierry,  Canon  of  Toul. 

While  these  enquiries  were  being  made,  a  document  contain¬ 
ing  101  Articles  was  drawn  up,1  setting  forth  the  case  of  the 
Plaintiffs  for  the  consideration  of  the  still-absent  Defendants, 
and  stating  at  great  length  the  grounds,  both  in  fact  and  reason, 
for  the  demand  of  a  revision  of  sentence. 

On  the  day  fixed  for  the  final  citation  of  the  Defendants — Feb. 

1 6th,  1456, — the  Court  again  assembled  ;  and  on  this  occasion 
the  accused  were  represented  by  their  legal  successors  :  the 
Promoter  of  the  Diocese  of  Beauvais,  Brédouille,  as  represent¬ 
ative  of  the  authority  of  the  Bishop,  Guillaume  de  Hellande  ; 
and  Chaussetier,  the  Prior  of  the  Convent  of  Evreux,  as  re¬ 
presenting  the  Dominicans  of  Beauvais,  to  whose  Order  Jean 
Lemaître,  the  other  Judge  of  the  Maid,  belonged.  Both  of  these 
disclaimed  any  responsibility  for  the  former  Trial,  but  submitted 
themselves  to  the  mandate  of  the  Court  ;  and,  no  objection  being 

1  Of  these  101  Articles,  the  first  thirty-three  form  the  basis  of  the  succeed¬ 
ing  enquiries  made  at  Paris,  Orleans,  and  Rouen. 


376 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


offered  to  the  ioi  Articles,  these  were  accepted  by  the  Judges, 
and  the  case  was  proceeded  with. 

The  Enquiry  of  1456  extended  over  several  months.  Thirty- 
four  witnesses  were  heard,  in  January  and  February,  at  Domremy 
and  Vaucouleurs  ;  forty-one,  in  February  and  March,  at  Orleans  ; 
twenty  at  Paris,  in  April  and  May  ;  nineteen  at  Rouen,  in  Dec¬ 
ember  and  May  ;  and  on  May  28th,  at  Fyons,  the  Vice-Inquisitor 
of  the  province  received  the  deposition  of  Jean  d’Aulon,  whose 
evidence  is  specially  important,  as  being  that  of  the  Steward  of 
the  Maid’s  household,  and  the  most  devoted  of  her  followers. 

After  the  close  of  these  Enquiries  and  their  formal  reception  as 
part  of  the  Process,  the  Advocate  of  the  d’Arc  family  petitioned 
the  Judges  to  give  their  attention  to  certain  Memorials  drawn  up 
on  the  Case  by  learned  men,  which  documents  he  prayed  might 
also  be  inserted  among  the  formal  proceedings  of  the  Trial. 
The  request  being  granted,  Eight  Memorials  were  presented  and 
formally  annexed  to  the  Authentic  Documents  of  the  Process. 
The  whole  case  was  then  admirably  summed  up,  for  the  guidance 
of  the  Judges,  in  the  ‘  Recollectio  ’  of  the  Inquisitor,  Jean  Bréhal, 
and  on  this  document  the  final  Sentence  of  Rehabilitation  was 
subsequently  based. 

On  the  r 8th  of  June,  Jean  d’Arc  and  the  Promoter,  Chapitault 
in  the  name  of  the  Plaintiffs,  appeared  at  the  Palace  of  the 
Bishop  of  Paris,  and  prayed  that  a  day  might  be  fixed  for  the 
conclusion  of  the  Case.  In  answer  to  this  request  the  following 
1st  of  July  was  appointed  for  the  purpose,  and  an  announcement 
to  that  effect  was  ordered  to  be  placed  on  all  the  doors  of  the 
Cathedral  at  Rouen. 

On  July  2nd  the  Pontifical  Delegates  met  and  appointed  the 
following  Wednesday,  July  7th,  for  the  pronouncement  of  the 
final  Sentence  ;  and  on  that  day,  at  8  a.m.,  the  Court  assembled 
in  the  Hall  of  the  Archiépiscopal  Palace,  and  the  formal 
Sentence  of  Rehabilitation  was  solemnly  read  by  the  Arch¬ 
bishop  of  Rheims.  This  was  followed  by  a  procession  and 
sermon  on  the  same  day  in  the  Place  St.  Ouen,  and  by  a 
second  sermon  on  the  day  following  in  the  Old  Market  Place, 
where  a  Cross  to  perpetuate  the  memory  of  the  martyrdom  was 
then  erected,  “for  the  salvation  of  her  soul.”  This  Cross 
remained  until  the  end  of  the  following  century,  when  it  was 
replaced  by  a  fountain,  with  a  statue  of  the  Maid  under  an 
arcade  surmounted  by  a  Cross  ;  the  fountain  now  standing  was 
erected  in  1756. 


CHRONOLOGICAL  TABLE  OF  PRINCIPAL  EVENTS 
IN  THE  LIFE  OF  JEANNE  D’ARC. 


1411-12 

1424(F). 

1428. 

1428-9. 


1429. 


January  6th . Birth  at  Domremy. 

Summer . First  visions. 

Sojourn  at  Neufchâteau. 

. Call  to  mission  in  France. 

May . Visit  to  Vaucouleurs  (?),  May  13th; 

Ascension  Day. 

February . Second  visit  to  Vaucouleurs. 

Visit  to  Duke  of  Lorraine. 

Pilgrimage  to  Saint  Nicolas. 

,,  12th . Battle  of  the  Herrings. 

1  day^Lent”! }  Return  to  Vaucouleurs. 

„  23rd, Wednesday  Departure  from  Vaucouleurs,  with 

Jean  de  Metz  and  others. 

March  5th,  Saturday  .  .  Fiérbois. 

„  6th,  Sunday  .  .  .  Arrival  at  Chinon. 

„  8th,  Tuesday  .  .  Interview  with  the  King. 

”  22Hd0’lyrWeeky  ^  f  First  letter  t0  the  EnSlish- 

„  27th,  Easter  Day. 

April . Stay  at  Tours.  Household  appointed. 

Banner  painted. 

Joins  the  army  at  Blois. 

Start  for  Orleans. 

Arrival  at  Orleans. 

Fort  of  Saint  Loup  taken. 

Third  letter  to  the  English. 

Fort  of  the  Augustins  taken. 

Jeanne  wounded. 

Siege  of  Orleans  raised. 

Leaves  for  Blois. 

Tours. 

Meeting  with  King  Charles. 

Loches. 

Selles  :  grant  of  arms  to  Jeanne  and 
her  family. 

Selles  :  Incident  of  the  horse.] 

Return  to  Orleans. 

Siege  of  Jargeau. 

Attack  on  Meung. 


„  27th,  Wednesday  (?) 

„  29th,  Friday  . 

May  4th,  Wednesday 
„  5th,  Ascension  Day 
„  6th,  Friday  . 

„  7th,  Saturday 
„  8th,  Sunday  . 

„  10th,  Tuesday  . 

„  1 2th,  Thursday 
„  13th,  Friday  . 

„  23rd,  Monday  . 

June  2nd,  Thursday 

[  „  6th,  Monday  . 

„  9th,  Thursday 
„  uth-i2th  .  . 

»  Hth . 


Note.  —  The  year,  in  the  fifteenth  century,  is  computed  from  Easter. 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


378 

1429. 


1429-30. 


June  16th . 

„  17th,  Friday,  . 

„  1 8th,  Saturday 
,,  19th,  Sunday  . 

„  24th,  Friday  . 

„  29th,  Wednesday 
July  1st,  Friday  . 

„  5th,  Tuesday 


„  9th,  Saturday 
„  10th,  Sunday  . 

„  1 2th,  Tuesday 

„  14th,  Thursday 
„  15th,  Friday  . 

„  1 6th,  Saturday 
„  17th,  Sunday  . 

„  2 1  st,  Thursday 

„  22nd,  Friday  . 

„  23rd,  Saturday 
„  29th,  Friday  . 
August  4th,  Thursday 

„  13th,  Saturday 

„  18th,  Thursday 


„  23rd,  Tuesday 


„  26th,  Friday  .  . 

28th,  Sunday  .  . 

September  8th,  Thursday 
(Nativity  B.V.M.) 
„  10th,  Saturday 


13th,  Tuesday 
1 8th,  Sunday 


October  . 
N  ovember 


9th,  Wednesday 


December 
January 
February  . 
March  3rd 


April  . 


.  Siege  of  Beaugency. 

.  Arrival  of  the  Constable  of  France. 

.  Battle  of  Pat  ay . 

.  Return  to  Orleans. 

.  Jeanne  encamps  at  Gien. 

.  Start  for  Rheims. 

.  Arrival  before  Auxerre. 

.  Arrival  before  Troyes. 

.  Meeting  with  Brother  Richard. 

.  Surrender  of  Troyes. 

.  Entry  into  Troyes. 

.  Departure  from  Troyes. 

.  Chalons. 

.  Departure  from  Chalons. 

.  Charles  enters  Rheims. 

.  Coronation  of  Charles. 

.  Charles  touches  for  “  the  Evil  ”  at 
Saint  Marcoul. 

.  Charles  receives  keys  of  Soissons  and 
Laon  at  Vailly, 

.  and  of  four  other  towns. 

.  Skirmish  at  Château  Thierry. 

.  Charles  signs  fifteen  days’  truce  with 
the  Duke  of  Burgundy. 

.  Skirmish  at  Dammartin. 

.  Compiègne  entered. 

.  Senlis  and  Beauvais  surrender  ;  flight 
of  Bishop. 

.  Jeanne  leaves  Compiègne  for  Saint 
Denis  ;  letter  from  the  Count  of 
Armagnac  received  when  starting. 

.  Jeanne  at  Saint  Denis. 

.  Secret  treaty  of  Charles  VII.  with  the 
Duke  of  Burgundy,  to  Christmas. 

j-  Attack  on  Paris.  Jeanne  wounded. 

.  Retreat  ordered  by  Charles. 

.  Jeanne’s  armour  hung  up  in  the 
church  at  Saint  Denis. 

.  Charles  leaves  Saint  Denis. 

.  Second  treaty  of  Charles  VII  with 
the  Duke  of  Burgundy. 

.  Jeanne  at  Bourges. 

.  Saint  Pierre-le-Moustier  assailed  and 
taken. 

.  Siege  of  La  Charité. 

.  Truce  with  Burgundy  till  Easter. 

J  Passed  in  visiting  the  towns  she  had 
>  freed.  Orleans  visited  for  the  last 
)  time  on  January  19th. 

.  At  Sully  with  the  King. 

Leaves  Sully,  accompanied  by 
D’Aulon  and  Pasquerel,  and  goes  to 
Lagny. 

.  Franquet  d’ Arras  taken  and  executed 
at  Lagny. 

Alleged  miracle. 


APPENDIX 


379 


1430. 


1430- 


1430-1. 


April  16th,  Easter  Day  . 
„  Eastertide  .... 
„  23rd,  Sunday  .  . 

May  13th,  Saturday  .  . 


May 


22nd,  Monday  .  .  . 
23rd,  Tuesday  .  . 

25th,  Ascension  Day 


J  une  6th . 

July  14th,  Friday  .  . 

„  29th,  Saturday  . 

August . 

October . 


October  25th . 

Nov.  (about  the  middle) 


December  (late)  .... 
January  3rd,  Wednesday 


Melun — warning  of  capture. 

Henry  VI.  lands  at  Calais. 

Jeanne  at  Compiègne  (Archbishop  of 
Rheims  then  in  the  city).  During 
this  month  she  visits  Senlis,  Soissons, 
and  other  towns. 

Jeanne  repulsed  on  the  Oise  whilst 
trying  to  relieve  Choisy,  then  be¬ 
sieged  by  the  Duke  of  Burgundy. 

Jeanne  in  Compiègne  ;  prediction  in 
the  church  of  Saint  Jacques. 

Jeanne  goes  to  Crespy  for  reinforce¬ 
ments. 

Jeanne’s  return  to  Compiègne,  and 
capture.  Letter  of  Duke  of  Bur¬ 
gundy  to  the  people  of  Saint- 
Quentin,  announcing  the  capture. 

News  of  capture  reaches  Paris. 

Jeanne  a  prisoner  for  several  days  at 
Marigny. 

In  prison  at  Beaulieu. 

At  Noyon. 

Cauchon’s  mission  to  the  Duke  of 
Burgundy. 

Henry  VI.  arrives  at  Rouen. 

In  prison  at  Beaurevoir. 

Leap  from  the  Tower  of  Beaurevoir. 

Prophecy  of  the  relief  of  Compiègne 
“  before  Martinmas.” 

Relief  of  Compiègne. 

Jeanne  sold  by  Jean  de  Luxembourg. 

Jeanne  taken  to  Arras,  then  Crotoy. 

Brought  to  Rouen. 

Order  of  surrender  of  Jeanne  as  “sus¬ 
pect  of  heresy,”  from  Henry  VI.  to 
the  Judges. 


I.  Cause  de  Lapse. 

Trial  Ex  Officio. 

January  9th,  Tuesday  .  .  First  day  of  the  Trial.  Preliminary 

meeting  in  the  Bishop’s  house. 
Appointment  of  officers. 

„  13th,  Saturday  .  .  First  consultation  of  the  Bishop  with 

the  Doctors  ;  the  result  of  the 
Domremy  enquiry  discussed  (?) 
Articles  of  Accusation  to  be  pre¬ 
pared. 

„  23rd,  Tuesday  .  .  Second  consultation  with  the  six 

Doctors.  Articles  approved.  Dela- 
fontaine  appointed  to  make  further 
enquiries. 

February  I3th^i7^h^Ti^es^|.  Officers  make  oath  of  fidelity. 


38o 

1430-1. 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


February  19th,  Monday  .  , 

„  20th,  Tuesday . 

„  2 1  st,  Wednesday 

„  22nd,  Thursday 

,,  24th,  Saturday 

„  27th,  Tuesday 

March  1st,  Thursday  .  . 

„  3rd,  Saturday  .  . 


„  4th-9th,  Sunday- 
Friday  .  .  .  . 

„  10th,  Saturday  . 


1 2th,  Monday 


13th,  Tuesday  . 


14th,  Wednesday 


Consultation  of  the  Bishop  with 
twelve  Doctors.  Decision  that  the 
Case  shall  be  proceeded  with,  and 
the  Inquisitor  or  his  Deputy  invited 
to  attend.  The  Deputy  Inquisitor, 
being  summoned,  pleads  inability. 

The  Deputy  Inquisitor  again  appears, 
but  still  refuses  to  act  as  Judge 
without  Commission  from  his 
Superior.  It  is  decided  to  write  to 
the  Chief  Inquisitor.  Jeanne  is 
cited  to  appear  the  next  day. 

.  First  Public  Examination,  in  the 
ChapeF Royal.  Jeanne’s  guardians 
appointed  from  the  King’s  Body 
Guard.  (42  Assessors.) 

.  Second  Public  Examination,  in  the 
Ornament  Room.  The  Deputy 
Inquisitor  declares  his  assent  to  the 
Trial.  Beaupère  charged  with  the 
examination.  (48  Assessors.) 

,  Third  Public  Examination,  in  the 
Ornament  Room.  (52  Assessors.) 

.  Fourth  Public  Examination,  in  the 
Ornament  Room.  (54  Assessors.) 

.  Fifth  Public  Examination,  in  the 
Ornament  Room.  (58  Assessors.) 

.  Sixth  Public  Examination,  in  the 
Ornament  Room.  (41  Assessors.) 

The  Bishop  decides  to  continue  the 
Examination  privately. 

{The  Examinations  are  considered  by 
the  Bishop  and  some  of  the  Doctors, 
and  it  is  decided  to  question  Jeanne 
on  sundry  doubtful  points. 

.  First  Private  Examination,  in  prison, 
conducted  by  Delafontaine,  assisted 
by  two  Assessors  and  two  wit¬ 
nesses. 

.  Second  Private  Examination, in  prison, 
in  the  morning. 

Third  Private  Examination,  in  prison, 
in  the  afternoon,  the  Bishop  not 
present. 

In  the  Bishop’s  house,  on  the  same 
day,  the  letter  from  the  Inquisitor, 
appointing  his  Vicar  to  act  as  his 
Deputy,  is  read  ;  and  the  Vicar  is 
appointed  to  act  as  Judge. 

.  The  Vicar  joins  with  the  Bishop  and 
appoints  his  officers. 

Fourth  Private  Examination, — the 
first  at  which  the  Inquisitor  is 
present  as  Judge. 

.  Fifth  Private  Examination,  in  prison, 
in  the  morning. 

Sixth  Private  Examination,  in  prison, 
in  the  afternoon. 


i43o-i. 


i 430- i 


1431- 


APPENDIX 


381 


March  15th,  Thursday 
„  17th,  Saturday 


Seventh  Private  Examination  in 


1 8th,  Passion  Sun¬ 
day  . 

22nd,  Thursday 
24th,  Saturday  . 


prison. 

Eighth  Private  Examination,  in  prison, 
in  the  morning. 

Ninth  Private  Examination,  in  prison, 
in  the  afternoon. 

Consultation  of  the  Bishop  with  twelve 
Assessors,  in  the  Bishop’s  house. 
They  adjourn  till  March  22nd,  to 
deliberate  over  the  examinations 
already  held. 

Consultation  at  the  Bishop’s  house. 
Résumé  of  the  answers  of  Jeanne 
read  to  twenty-two  Assessors. 

The  Judges,  Delafontaine,  and  six 
Assessors  visit  J eanne  in  prison,  and 
the  examinations  are  read  over  to 
her  in  French  by  Manchon. 

25th,  Palm  Sunday .  The  Bishop  and  four  Assessors  visit 
Jeanne  in  prison. 

The  complete  papers  of  the  Process  ex 
officio  are  given  to  the  Promoter 
that  he  may  prepare  the  Articles  of 
Accusation  for  the  Trial  in  Ordinary. 
At  a  meeting  at  the  Bishop’s  house, 
twelve  Assessors  and  the  two  Judges 
being  present,  it  is  decided  to 
proceed  on  the  following  day  to  the 
Trial  in  Ordinary,  to  be  conducted 
by  the  Promoter. 


26th,  Monday 


Trial  in  Ordinary. 


March  27th,  Tuesday  .  .  Solemn  sitting  in  the  Great  Hall 

of  .the  Castle  ;  the  two  Judges 
and  38  Assessors  present.  The 
Act  of  Accusation,  in  Seventy 
Articles,  is  produced  by  the  Pro¬ 
moter, andreadto  Jeanne  by  Thomas 
de  Courcelles.  Questions  are  put 
to  her  on  each  Article. 

„  28th,  Wednesday  .  The  same  continued — 35  Assessors 

present. 

„  31st,  Easter  Eve  .  The  Judges  and  9  Assessors  visit 

Jeanne  in  prison,  to  question  her  on 
sundry  points  upon  which  she  had 
asked  for  delay. 


April  1st,  Easter  Day. 

„  2nd-4th,  Monday- 
Wednesday  .  . 


{The  Judges  and  certain  of  the  As¬ 
sessors  employ  themselves  in  reduc¬ 
ing  the  Seventy  Articles  to  Twelve  ; 
these  are  finally  drawn  up  by 
Nicholas  Midi. 


„  5th,  Thursday  .  .  .  The  Twelve  Articles  are  sent  to  the 
Assessors  for  their  opinion,  which 
they  are  asked  to  send  in  by  April 
10th. 


382 


JEANNE  D’ARC 


1431- 


.  .  Consultation  of  22  Assessors,  who 
decide  that  Jeanne  must  be  con¬ 
demned. 

During  the  following  week  many  other 
opinions,  all  more  or  less  in  accord¬ 
ance  with  this,  are  sent  in. 

.  .  Jeanne  is  ill.  The  two  Judges  and 
7  Assessors  visit  her  in  prison  ; 
and  the  Bishop  addresses  to  her  a 
charitable  exhortation. 

.  .  The  Twelve  Articles  are  sent  to  the 
University  of  Paris. 

These  are  discussed  in  full  assembly 
on  April  29th  ;  then  by  the  Facul¬ 
ties  of  Theology  and  Decrees, 
separately  ;  and  finally,  the  Resolu¬ 
tions  of  these  Faculties  are  adopted 
by  the  University  and  forwarded  to 
Rouen. 

.  .  Solemn  assembly  in  the  Ornament 
Room  ;  the  two  Judges  and  63 
Assessors  present.  Jeanne  is  sum¬ 
moned  and  admonished  by  the 
Bishop  ;  and  a  solemn  preachment 
is  made  to  her  by  the  Archdeacon 
of  Eu. 

.  .  The  Judges  and  9  Assessors 
summon  Jeanne  to  the  Torture 
Chamber  in  the  Great  Tower,  and 
threaten  her  with  torture. 

„  10th,  Ascension  Day. 

„  1 2th,  Saturday  .  .  .  Consultation  in  the  Bishop’s  house; 

the  Judges  and  12  Assessors 
present.  It  is  decided  not  to  torture 
Jeanne. 

„  19th,  Saturday  .  .  .  Solemn  assembly  in  the  Chapel  of 
the  Archiépiscopal  Manor  —  51 
Assessors  present.  The  Resolu¬ 
tions  of  the  University  of  Paris  are 
read,  and  the  opinions  of  the  As¬ 
sessors  taken. 

„  23rd,  Wednesday  ,  ,  Solemn  meeting  in  a  room  near 
the  prison.  The  Judges  and  7 
Assessors  are  accompanied  by  the 
Bishops  of  Noyon  and  Thérouanne. 
Jeanne  is  summoned,  and  solemnly 
admonished  by  Pierre  Maurice. 
The  Final  Sentence  is  appointed  for 
the  next  day. 

,  24th,  Thursday  .  .  .  Public  assembly  in  the  Cemetery  of 
St.  Ouen  ;  the  Cardinal  of  England 
and  the  Bishop  of  Norwich  present. 
Exhortation  from  Érard.  Abjura¬ 
tion  of  Jeanne.  Sentence  of  per¬ 
petual  imprisonment.  In  the  after¬ 
noon,  the  Deputy  Inquisitor  and 
sundry  Assessors  visit  Jeanne  in 
prison. 


April  1 2th,  Thursday  . 


1 8th,  Wednesday 


„  i9th>  Thursday  . 


(May  14th) 


May  2nd,  Wednesday 


9th,  Wednesday 


APPENDIX 


383 


IL  Cause  de  Relapse. 


May  28th,  Monday  .  . 

.  The  Judges  and  4  Assessors  visit 
Jeanne  in  prison,  having  been 
informed  of  her  relapse. 

„  29th,  Tuesday  .  . 

.  .  Solemn  meeting  in  the  Chapel  of  the 
Archiépiscopal  Manor,  40  As¬ 
sessors  present.  Consultation  on 
the  relapse  of  Jeanne.  Decision  of 
the  Assessors  that  she  must  be 

„  30th,  Wednesday  . 

delivered  up  to  the  secular  arm  as 
a  relapsed  heretic . 

.  Massieu  delivers  the  order  of  execu¬ 
tion  to  Jeanne.  Visit  of  sundry 
Assessors  and  of  the  Bishop  to  the 
prison. 

Jeanne  receives  the  Holy  Communion. 
Final  Exhortation  from  Nicholas 
Midi  at  the  public  assembly  in 
the  Old  Market  Place.  Sentence 
pronounced  against  Jeanne.  Her 
Death. 

June  7th,  Wednesday  . 

.  Information  taken  after  the  death  of 
Jeanne  by  certain  persons  who 
visited  her  in  prison  on  May  30th. 

„  8th,  Thursday  .  . 

.  (1)  Letter  from  the  King,  Henry  VI., 
to  the  Emperor,  announcing  the 
trial,  sentence,  and  execution  of 

„  1 2th,  Monday  .  .  . 

Jeanne. 

.  Letter  of  Guarantee  for  those  con¬ 
cerned  in  the  Trial,  from  Henry 
VI. 

„  28th . 

.  (2)  Letter  from  Henry  VI.  to  the  same 
effect  as  (1),  to  prelates  and  nobles. 
Letter  of  the  University  of  Paris  to 

August  8th . 

the  Pope. 

.  Sentence  pronounced  against  a  monk 
who  had  spoken  ill  of  the  Judges. 

' 

. 

.  . 


INDEX 


INDEX 


Abjuration  of  Jeanne,  130-133,  206,  208, 
327 

Adelie,  Guillaume,  106 
Agincourt,  vi,  ix,  72 

Aimery  (or  Aymerie),  Guillaume,  244, 
306 

Alain,  Jacques,  227 
d’Albret,  Lord,  271 

d’Alençon,  John  Duke,  30,  60,  71,  237, 
238,  260,  264,  272-281,  290,  Chronicles 
of.  332 

Alépée,  Maître  Jean,  302 
Alexander,  vi 
Alfred  the  Great,  xiv 
Ambeville,  herald,  248 
Anche,  or  Anceinsi,  281 
Apparitions  and  illusions,  124,  147-153, 
176 

d’Arc,  Isabel,  mother  ofTeanne,  215,  225, 

321,  372,  373 

d’Àrc,  Jacques,  father  of  Jeanne,  213,  215, 
225 

d’Arc,  Jean,  brother  of  Jeanne,  321 
d’Arc,  Jeanne  ;  see  Jeanne 
d’Arc,  M.  Lanery,  332 
d’Arc,  Pierre,  brother  of  Jeanne,  321 
Archangel  Michael,  x  ;  see  St.  Michael 
Arles  Cathedral,  42 
d’Armagnac,  Thibauld,  293 
d’ Armagnac,  Count,  34,  letters  34-5 
Armagnac  faction,  332 
Armour,  Account  for  Jeanne’s,  275 
Arras,  49,  104,  348  ;  Treaty,  332,  334 
d’ Arras,  Franquet,  78 
Articles  of  Jeanne’s  Accusation,  98,  101, 
102,  105,  1 1 3—1 17,  1 19,  184-185,  341- 
366.  The  twelve,  324, 325 ,  366-37 1 
Arundel,  Earl  of,  333 
Assessors  at  Trial,  55,97,119,  179,  189- 
190 

d’Aulon,  Sieur  Jean,  267,  309-320,  334 
Auxerre,  Jeanne  at  Mass  in,  12 
Avignon,  xvi 

d’Avignon,  Marie,  269,  270 
Avit,Jeande  Saint,  160,  190 
Avranches,  Bishop,  160,  190 


Baignart,  Maître  Robert,  293 
Bailly,  Nicolas,  225,  229 
Banner,  Jeanne’s,  30-1,  58-9,  89,  90,  283, 
316-7,  361;  of  the  Crucifixion,  284,285; 
Account  for,  30 

Barbier,  Maître  Robert,  100,  118 
Barbin,  Jean,  269 
Barrey,  Edith,  6 
Barrey,  Jean,  6 
Basle,  Council  of,  xvii,  177 
Basset,  Jean,  99 
Bastard  of  Orleans  ;  see  Dunois 
Baudricourt,  Robert  de,  x,  11,  12,  26,  65, 
219,  226,  227,  229,  304,  308,  345,  348 
Bavon,  Anna,  205 
Beaucaire,  334 

Beaufort,  Bishop  of  Winchester,  xvii 
Beaugency,  237,  263,  266,  278,  293 
Beaupère,  Maître  Jean,  9,  15,  16,  22,  47, 
56,  95,  96,  100,  103,  1 19,  121,  166,  171, 
176,  177,  183,  209,  252,  254,  340,  372 
Beaurevoir  Castle,  46,  54,  74,  104,  178, 
348,  353.  363  !  Jeanne’s  leap,  78,  85 
Beauvais,  Pierre  Cauchon,  Bishop  of,  xviii, 
xix,  xx,  xxii  ;  Presides  at  Jeanne  d’ Arc’s 
trial,  3  ;  jurisdiction  and  charge,  4  ;  in¬ 
vites  Deputy  of  the  Chief  Inquisitor  to 
the  trial,  8  ;  warned  of  responsibility,  14, 
76,  163  ;  decides  on  private  examination 
of  Jeanne,  55  ;  in  Jeanne’s  prison,  61,  64  ; 
summons  Deputy  Inquisitor  to  Bishop’s 
residence,  66  ;  invokes  aid  of  Chief  In¬ 
quisitor,  66,  67  ;  enquiries  at  Domremy, 
303  ;  reviews  prior  proceedings  against 
Jeanne,  93  ;  Accusation  to  be  prepared, 
94;  Canonical  Admonition  to  Jeanne, 
102,  106-108  ;  address  to  Assessors,  no- 
112;  sends  Accusation  of  Jeanne  to 
Paris,  1 19;  states  result,  120  ;  pronounces 
sentence,  129  ;  intolerant  and  irregular 
proceedings  at  trial,  159,  166,  167,  173, 
182,  204,  339  ;  free  agent  in  Jeanne’s 
trial,  179,  his  final  Adjudication,  138-9  ; 
Mandate  to  produce  Jeanne,  140-141  ; 
Jeanne  declares  him  guilty  of  her  death, 
158-9,  195  ;  declaration  to  English,  160, 

C  C  2 


388 


INDEX 


162  ;  refuses  change  of  prison,  169  ; 
biased  action,  1 7 1  ;  his  copy  of  Process, 
181  ;  alleged  a  traitor  by  an  Englishman, 
186  ;  taunted,  187,  199,  208-9,  273  ; 
imprisons  an  opponent,  201  ;  seeks 
opinion  in  Jeanne’s  submission,  259  ; 
impartial  remark,  209  ;  wept  at  Jeanne’s 
execution,  191  ;  English  anger,  212  ; 
alleged  to  have  sent  tainted  fish  to 
Jeanne,  253;  threatens  Assessors,  254; 
negotiated  ransom  of  Duke  of  Orleans, 
280  ;  his  death,  300  ;  his  action  re 
Jeanne  annulled,  322 
Bec,  Jean  du,  328 
Bec,  Abbot  of,  127 

Bedford,  John  Duke  of,  Regent,  vii,  xv, 
xvii,  xviii,  36,  37,  332,  334,  349 
Bedford,  Duchess  of,  193,  205 
Begot,  Jean,  225 
Bellier,  Guillaume,  242 
Benedict  XIV,  Pope,  34 
Bénédicité,  Maître  Jean,  171  ;  j^d’Estivet 
Bernoist,  John,  7,  68,  338 
Bertin,  Nicolas,  135 
Bethune,  Jeanne  de,  46 
Blois,  242,260,  310,  311 
Boisguillaume,  146,  165,  182,  183,  185, 
197,  297-300,  305,  340 
Bonnet,  Simon  ;  see  Senlis 
Bouchier,  Jacques,  295,  296 
Bouillé,  Maître  Guillaume,  xxi,  157,  372 
Boulainvilliers,  6 
Bouligny,  Réné  de,  270 
Bourbon,  Charles  de,  Count  de  Clermont, 
13,  60,  71,  115 
Bourchier,  Jacques,  250 
Bourges,  318 

Bourlement,  Pierre  de,  20,  217,  221 
Boussac,  Jean  de  la,  Marshal  of  France, 
1 1 5,  233,  267 
Brédouille,  375 

Bréhal,  Jean,  Inquisitor,  178,  321,  373 
Bridget  of  Sweden,  viii 
Brittany  and  Lorraine,  Duke  of,  xii,  30, 
279 

Brolbster,  William,  97 
Bruce,  Robert,  xiv 

Burgundians,  x,  xviii,  9,  19,  K4,  230,  333, 

348 

Burgundy,  Duke  of,  ix,  xii,  xv,  91,  239, 
335»  348,  349  i  letter,  335-6 
Burgundy,  Jean  de  Nevers,  Duke  of,  241 


Cadiz,  ix 

Cagny,  Percival  de,  332 
Calais,  ix 

Calot,  Laurence,  295 
Cannes,  Jacques,  135 
Cannoneer,  Maître  Jean  the,  315 
Cardinal  of  England  ;  see  St.  Eusebius 
Cardinal  of  Winchester,  190 


Cardinal  St.  Martin-les-Monts  ;  see 
d’Estouteville 
Castille,  Etienne,  205 
Castres,  Lord  Bishop  of,  265  ;  see  Chartres 
Catherine  de  la  Rochelle,  52,  360 
Catherine  of  Sienna,  viii 
Cauchon,  Pierre  ;  see  Beauvais 
Caval,  Maître  Nicolas,  207 
Chalons,  214,  215 
Champeaux,  Jean  de,  249 
Champrond,  Enguerrand  de,  95 
Chapit,  Maître  Simon,  328 
Chapitault,  Simon,  374,  376 
Charles  VI,  21 

Charles  VII.  (as  Dauphin  and  King) 
cautious  to  accept  Jeanne’s  aid,  xi  ; 
Jeanne’s  first  interview,  45,  238-9, 
242,  274,  282-3  ;  directs  enquiry  by 
clergy,  243,  274  ;  advised  to  accept 
Jeanne’s  offer,  xi,  242,  275,  307,  309  ; 
receives  a  golden  crown  at  instance  of 
an  angel,  70-71,  358  ;  Jeanne,  the 
angel,  149,  153  ;  poverty  of  exchequer, 
270;  belief  in  Jeanne,  266  ;  consecration 
at  Rheims,  51,  271,  361  ;  armour  for 
Jeanne,  275,  310;  before  Chartres, 
165  ;  his  army  at  Paris,  xv,  360  ;  grants 
arms  to  Jeanne’s  brothers,  59  ;  his  sign 
and  secret  through  Jeanne,  27,  59,  290; 
peacewithDukeofBurgundy,  332  ;  directs 
enquiry  into  verdict,  xxi,  371  ;  his  Queen, 

1 1  ;  victories  foretold,  37,  225  ;  defined 
a  heretic,  172,  188 
Charles,  Simon,  President,  291,  292 
Chartres,  Bishop  of,  274  ;  see  Castres 
Château-Thierry,  50,  264 
Chatellain’s,  G.,  Histoire  de  Philippe  le 
Bon,  334 

Chatillon,  Archdeacon  Jean  de,  100,  112, 
il 7,  121,  182,  202 
Chaumont,  Bailly  of,  217 
Chaussetier,  Prior  of  Evreux,  375 
Chicery,  Reginald  de,  375 
Chinon  fortress,  vii,  x,  II,  13,  28,  71, 
224,  223,  231,  232,  241,  242,  245,  259, 
270,  273,  291  ;  see  Coudray,  Tour  de 
Christian  Faith,  113 
Chronicle  of  de  Cagny,  332,  333 
Chronological  Table,  377-383 
Church,  The,  ix.,  104,  116,  122,  124,  125, 
13°,  131,  144,  189 
Church  Militant,  321,  362,  367,  371 
Church  Triumphant,  362 
Clairoy,  Mount  of,  333 
Classidas  ;  see  Glasdale 
Clement  VIII.,  Pope,  34 
Clergy  and  Angel,  73 
Colbert  Library,  331 
Colin,  Messire  Jean,  222 
Colles,  Maître  Michel,  200 
Colles  Guillaume  ;  see  Bois-Guillaume 
Compaing,  Maître  Pierre,  250 


INDEX 


389 


Compïègne,  xvi,  4,  39,  54,  57»  5^,  74.  75> 
283,  332,  334,  336,  349,  355,  356,  361 
Constable  of  France,  Arthur,  Count  de 
Richemont,  279 

Contes,  Louis  de,  (“Imerguet”  “Mu- 
got”)  249,  259-264,  281,  296 
Coquerel,  Hector  de,  327 
Corneille  de  Compiegne,  Abbot  of,  117 
Cormeilles,  Abbot  of,  127 
Coudray,  Tour  de,  13,  71.  260;  see 

Chinon 

Coulange-les-Vineuses,  29 
Coulent,  Admirai  de,  233 
Coulon,  Jean,  265 
Council  of  Bâle,  159 

Courcelles,  Thomas  de,  56,  89,  94,  95,  96, 
101,  102,  1 1 8,  119,  134,  136,  152,  166, 
171,  181,  255-8,  338,  341 
Coutances,  Richard  de  Longueil,  Bishop 
of,  321,  373  . 

Crespy-en-Valois,  240 
Crotay,  Geoffrey  de,  99 
Crotoy,  Castle,  42 

Crown  of  Charles  VII,  60,  70,  71,  72 
Cusquel,  Maître  Pierre,  191— 3 


Dante,  xvi 
Daron,  Pierre,  304 
Delachambre,  Guillaume,  106,  253 
Delafontaine,  Maître  Jean,  56,  57,  61,  64, 
67,  69,  74,  77,  79,  85,  89,  95,  99,  164, 
168,  190,  202 

Démetriade,  Lord  Bishop  of,  327 
De  Rotslaer,  a  Fleming,  32 
Deschamps,  Maître  Gilles,  100 
Desert,  Maître  Guillaume  du,  208 
Desjardins,  Maître  Guillaume,  253,  254 
Divineress,  145 

Domrémy,  v,  viii,  xxvi,  6,  19,  213,  214, 
215,  216,  229,  303,  375,  376 
Dragomirov,  General,  v 
Du  Boys,  Nicolas,  327 
Duchemin,  Maître  Jean,  101 
Duchesne,  Jean,  271 
Duguesnay,  Maître  Maurice,  100 
Dunois,  Jean  Count  de,  232-241,  243,  293, 
310.  3II 

Dupuy  Library,  331 
Dupuy,  Jean,  281 
D’Urfé  Library,  331 

Duval,  Brother  Guillaume,  163,  164,  340, 
372 


d’Elbret,  Lord,  318 
England’s  victories,  ix 
England,  thoughts  of  invasion,  65 
English  and  French  armies  compared,  xi- 
xii 

English  King,  fear  of,  372 


English  fear  of  Jeanne,  235,  236  ;  and  of 
her  escape,  199  ;  before  Orleans,  233  ; 
and  flight,  263,  268 

English  soldiers  intimidate  priests,  169, 
170,  174-5,  19° 

English  susceptibilities,  373  ;  superstitions, 
21  ï 

English  expulsion  from  France,  88 
Érard,  Guillaume,  117,  118,  121,  127,  130, 
170,  172,  173,  188,  194,  203,  206,  254, 
255>  290,  340 
Erault,  Maître  Jean,  265 
Ermengard,  Maître  Erard,  100 
Estellin,  Beatrix,  6,  213,  215-6 
d’Estivet,  Guillaume,  185,  190,  254,  299, 
374 

d’Estivet,  Canon  Jean,  Promoter  of  trial, 
3.  68,  95,  97.  179.  197,  253.  322 
d’Estouteville,  Cardinal  Guillaume,  178, 
323,  373 

Etienne  of  Sionne,  Messire,  216 
Etienne,  called  La  Hire,  115 
Evreux,  1 12 

Excommunication  Sentence,  145-6 


Fabre,  M.  Jules,  252,  281 
Fairies,  343,  366 
Fairies  Tree,  214 
Fanouillères,  Thomas  de,  328 
Fastolf,  Sir  John,  11,  280,  31 1,  312 
Fauquembergue,  Clement  de,  336 
Fave,  Maître  Jean  de,  21 1 
Fay,  Geoffrey  de,  225 
Fecamp,  The  Lord  Abbot  of,  100,  127, 
140,  182,  20X,  253,  254 
Fécard,  Jean,  56 
Ferrebouc,  François,  332,  374 
Feuillet,  Gerard,  56,  61,  64,  67,  69,  74, 
77.  79,  85,  89,  95,  103,  1 19,  171 
Fiefvet,  Thomas,  61,  66 
Fleury,  Jean,  Clerk  to  the  Bailly,  207 
Floquet,  Julien,  135 
Folenfont,  Georges,  a  heretic,  163,  301 
Fournier,  Messire  Jean,  227 
France,  depressed  condition  on  advent  of 
Jeanne  d'Arc,  vi-vii,  270,  307  ;  effect  of 
English  conquests,  ix  ;  contrast  of  army 
to  English,  xi  ;  campaign  under  Joan  of 
Arc,  xv  ;  distracted  between  rivalries  of 
Burgundy  and  Orleans,  xv  ;  self-centred, 
xv,  xvi  ;  a  conscious  nation,  xvii  ;  much 
abused,  172  ;  Jeanne  declares  her 
mission  to  save,  88,  306-7 
French  war-cry,  89 
Fronte,  Messire  Guillaume,  216,  217 


Garivel,  Maître  François,  243 
Gastinel,  Maître  Denis,  loi,  1x8 
Gaucourt,  Sieur  Raoul  de,  233,  241-3, 
259,  292,  3*4 


390 


INDEX 


Gaucourt,  Lady  de,  282 
Geneva,  331 
Gerard,  Maître,  101 
Gérardin,  of  Epinal,  19,  220 
Gerardin,  Jean,  20 
Gérardin,  Nicolas,  20 
Geresme,  Brother  Nicolas  de,  234 
Gien,  town  of,  245 

Glasdale,  William  (Clasdas),  Bailly  of 
Alençon,  236,  247,  265,  289 
Graverend,  Maître  Jean,  129,  141 
Great  Council  of  England,  179,  181 
Greux,  Village,  6,  216,  219, 

Gris  or  Grey,  Sir  John,  7,39,68,  103,  135, 

338 

Grouchet,  Maître  Richard,  209,  340 
Guesclin,  Bertrand  du,  30 
Guesdon,  Laurence,  301 
Guesdon,  Maître  Jacques,  101 
Guoys,  Jean  de,  328 


Haiton,  Guillaume,  106,  117,  135 
d’Harcourt,  Sieur  Christopher,  238 
Hauviette,  wife  of  Gerard  of  Syonne,  219 
Havet,  Guillaume,  250 
Hellande,  Guillaume  de,  375 
Henry  IV,  of  England,  xvii 
Henry  V,  vi,  242 

Henry  VI  of  England,  119,  181,  253,  256, 
335>  349  ;  declared  King  of  France,  vi, 
crowned  at  Paris,  80,  Jeanne’s  letter,  xiii, 
xviii,  36-38,  his  queen  Margaret,  275 
Heresy,  66,  160,  339,  371  ;  Decree  of, 

.143-4 

Hillet,  Adam,  97 

Holy  Council,  the,  114,  116,  160,  190 
Holy  Scripture  cited  by  Jeanne’s  Judges, 
109,  no,  124,  125 
Honecourt,  Jean  de,  230 
Houbent,  Nicolas  de,  61,  64,  66,  69,74 
Houppeville,  Maître  Nicolas  de,  182,  190, 
193,  200-2,  254 
Huré,  Reginald,  251 

Hussites,  letter  to,  xiii,  and  Cardinal 
Beaufort,  xvii 


Illiers,  Sieur  Florent  d’,  276 
Inquisition,  xix,  8 

Isabel  of  Bavaria,  Queen,  vi,  21,  226, 
283 


Jacob,  Messire  Dominique,  215 
Jacquard,  Jean,  231 
Jacquier,  Guillot,  216,  229 
Jargeau,  237,  263,  266,  276-8 
Jargeau,  Captain  of,  32,  48,  52 
Jeanne  d’Arc,  home  and  parentage,  viii,  6, 
213  ;  birth  on  feast  of  the  Epiphany,  ix  ; 
mother’s  teaching,  6  ;  god-parents,  6, 


213  ;  childhood,  19  ;  occupation  of  youth, 

9,  214;  share  in  village  festivals  at 
Ladies’  Tree,  20,  21,  92,  219,  343,  344; 
imagination  fired  by  fable  and  folk-lore, 
ix,  x;  early  vision,  x,  10,  63  ;  religious 
observances,  xo,  218  ;  mandate  from 
Archangel  Michael,  St.  Catherine  and 
St.  Margaret,  x,  23,  39,  41,  137,  353  ; 
domesticated  and  pious,  viii,  213,  215, 
216,  226,  228,  229,  231,  241,  249,  250  ; 
would  fall  on  her  knees  at  sound  of 
church  bells,  215,  220,  221  ;  modesty  of 
speech,  231,  243  ;  reproved  evil  speech, 
245,  280,  308  ;  divine  influence,  224, 
231,  235,  239,  241  ;  visits  Neufchâteau, 
9,  10  ;  father’s  dream,  64  ;  action  for 
marriage,  62,  64,  344  ;  father’s  anger, 
65  ;  Uncle  Laxart  conducts  her  to 
Robert  de  Baudricourt,  declares  her 
mission  to  save  France,  II,  218,  2 1 9, 
304  ;  Baudricourt  incredulous,  227  ;  her 
tone  impresses  Jean  de  Metz,  x,  223  ; 
begs  conduct  to  the  King,  223  ;  early 
dress,  223,  228  ;  escorted  to  Duke  of 
Lorraine,  11,  218,  224;  given  a  horse 
and  money,  218,  226  ;  returns  to  Vau- 
couleurs,  12  ;  issues  therefrom  clad  as  a 
warrior,  12,  223,  228,  230  ;  journey  to 
the  Dauphin,  her  escort,  230  ;  journey 
to  Chinon,  x,  224,  231  ;  writes  for  inter¬ 
view,  28  ;  presented  to  the  King — the 
Dauphin,  13,  225,  231,  282-3,  308; 
inspired  recognition,  13  ;  her  prophecy, 
225,  226,  227,  228,  230,  280,  282,  307  ; 
sign  given  to  King  Charles,  59,  60,  61, 
69,  1 15,  239,  244,  348,  362;  accom¬ 
panied  an  angel  to  presence  of  Charles 
VII,  71,  283,  358,  367  ;  angel  came  for 
a  great  purpose,  72  ;  Jeanne  admits 
herself  to  be  the  angel,  149  ;  applies 
for  and  discovery  of  a  sword  in  church 
of  St. Catherine  de  Fierbois,  27,  28,  349  ; 
King  refers  her  to  clergy  of  Chinon,  274  ; 
and  Poitiers,  xi,  242,  243,  274  ;  examined 
at  Poitiers  by  prelates  and  theologians, 
xv,  242,  243-4,  245,  271,  282,  291, 
306-8  ;  Archbishop  of  Rheims  gives 
credence,  xi  ;  King  advised  to  accept 
her  aid,  275,  282  ;  her  confessor,  Pas- 
queral,  284  ;  King  gives  her  armour, 
260,  275,  310  ;  provides  page,  260  ; 
steward,  308  ;  and  military  household, 
59,  260,  399  ;  method  of  sleeping  in 
war,  360  ;  horse  presented  by  Duke 
d’Alençon,  30,  260,  274  ;  her  horses, 
51,  59,  78,  218,  226  J  skilful  horse¬ 
woman,  30  ;  King’s  force  entrusted  to 
her,  31,  359;  her  banners,  30,  31,  47, 
48,  59,  89,  90,  93,  283,  349  ;  entry 
into  Orleans  and  successful  sally,  260-3, 
267,  275,  284-5,  310-17;  attack  on 
bridge  fort,  32,  236,  262  ;  details  of 


INDEX 


391 


the  relief  of  Orleans,  233-6,  246-7, 
285-6  ;  letter  to  besiegers  of  Orleans, 
235,  246-7,  286-7  !  challenges  copy, 
12  ;  her  wounds,  14,  32,  236,  262,  278, 
288-9,  29°j  297  >  martial  skill,  xii,  272, 
281,  294,  297  ;  Count  Dunois  believed 
her  conduct  in  war  more  divine  than 
human,  233,  235  ;  at  Loches,  270  ; 
homage  of  the  people,  50,  270  ;  denies 
she  allowed  it,  342,  359  ;  celebrates 
Mass  with  army  in  sight  of  English,  249  ; 
leads  Dauphin’s  army  with  success,  xii  ; 
urges  attack  on  other  towns,  237  ;  strikes 
English  with  terror,  xvii,  253  ;  advises 
Dauphin,  at  Loches,  to  go  quickly  to 
Rlieims,  238  ;  tells  source  of  her  counsel, 
238-9  ;  conduct  at  assault  on  Jargeau, 
276-8  ;  at  Beaugency,  293  ;  at  Patay, 
293  ;  siege  of  Troyes,  239-40  ;  enters 
Troyes  with  the  King,  49,  50,  292  ;  wit¬ 
nesses  consecration  of  Charles  at  Rheims, 
xii,  44,  50,  51  ;  waives  personal  reward 
for  taxes  exemption  of  Domremy,  215  ; 
at  Château-Thierry,  50  ;  assault  on 
Paris,  14,  361  ;  deposits  her  white 
armour  in  church  of  St.  Denis,  29,  88-9, 
361  ;  at  Bourges,  318  ;  takes  Saint 
Pierre-le-Moustier,  saves  pillage  of 
church,  246,  318-19;  siege  of  La 
Charité,  5 3—4,  378  ;  alleged  to  have  re¬ 
stored  life  to  a  child,  52  ;  appeal  to 
King  Charles  to  permit  her  return  to 
rural  life,  xiv,  240-1  ;  a  rival  in 
Catherine  de  la  Rochelle,  53  ;  continues 
to  share  national  struggle  by  request, 
xiv  ;  her  statesmanship,  xiv  ;  advice 
neglected,  xv  ;  great  French  nation  self- 
centred  her  view,  xv  ;  at  Crespy,  57, 
332  ;  leaves  for  relief  of  Compiègne, 
xvi,  S7>  333  :  ambushed  in  a  sally,  333  ; 
captured  with  her  steward,  58,  334,  335  ; 
by  Burgundians,  xvi,  4,  178  ;  taken  to 
Jehan  de  Luxembourg,  334  ;  to  Rouen, 
334  ;  predicts  preservation  of  Com¬ 
piègne,  334  ;  taken  to  Marigney,  335  ; 
letters  announcing  her  capture,  335,  336  ; 
rejoicings  in  Paris,  336  ;  Inquisition 
claims  her  as  a  heretic,  337  ;  and  Uni¬ 
versity  of  Paris,  337  ;  Cauchon,  Bishop 
of  Beauvais,  acting  for  the  Regent  Bed¬ 
ford,  offers  a  King’s  ransom,  xviii,  337  ; 
removed  to  Beaulieu  Castle,  334,  337  ; 
attempted  escape,  81  ;  delivered  to  the 
Duke  of  Bedford  for  ,£15,000,  334,  337  ; 
prison  changed  to  Beaurevoir,  337  ;  her 
leap  from  its  tower,  54,  74,  75,  85,  337, 
353>  3S5>  356>  3^3)  364.  3^9  ;  removed 
to  Arras,  thence  to  Crotoy,  finally  to 
Rouen,  337  ;  trial  opened  in  Chapel 
Royal,  Rouen  Castle,  3,  xix  ;  its  In¬ 
quisitorial  form,  338  ;  constitution  of  the 
court,  3,  8,  14,  22,  33,  34,  98,  99,  103  ; 


objections  to  method  of  trial,  xix-xx  ; 
by  at  least  two  assessors,  182,  257,  339  ; 
course  of  trial  reviewed,  339-41  ;  pro¬ 
moters  or  counsel  for  prosecution,  3,  9  ; 
application  to  hear  Mass  prior  to  open¬ 
ing  of  case  refused,  4  ;  the  charge,  4  ; 
applies  for  counsel,  but  refused,  173; 
offered  but  declines  counsel  from  as¬ 
sessors,  102  ;  statements  as  to  counsel, 
180,  182,  187,  193,  195,  204,  209,  339  ; 
urged  as  to  whole  truth  in  matters  of 
faith,  5  ;  requested  to  answer  on  oath, 
5  ;  conditionally  declines,  5,  9,  15,  22, 
33,  44  ;  makes  oath  in  the  matter  of 
faith,  not  of  revelations,  6,  342  :  de¬ 
clines  to  say  her  Pater  except  in  Con¬ 
fession,  7  ;  sworn  on  second  day,  after 
remonstrance,  9  ;  held  in  a  lay  prison  on 
an  ecclesiastical  charge,  xviii,  162,  163  ; 
shameful  prison  treatment,  xvii,  7,  174, 
189,  192,  195,  304,  338  ,  her  jailer, 
195  ;  her  male  attire,  12  ;  done  nothing 
in  the  world  but  by  order  of  God,  even 
to  taking  male  attire,  26,  46,  65,  79, 
1 14-15,  347,  351  ;  if  released  will  wear 
woman’s  dress,  21,  95  ;  desire  to  hear 
Mass,  in  what  attire  not  settled,  81  ;  in 
war  received  sacrament  in  male  dress, 
51  ;  adherence  to  male  dress,  87,  88, 
189;  had  a  Voice  from  God  for  help 
and  guidance,  10  ;  craved  no  reward 
from  the  apparition  or  Voice  than  her 
soul’s  salvation,  13  ;  the  Voice  her  ad¬ 
viser,  16,  83,  306,  307  ;  votive  candles 
to  St.  Catherine  and  St.  Margaret, 
82-3  ;  source  of  her  counsel,  320  ; 
believed  as  firmly  as  her  belief  in  the 
Christian  faith  and  that  God  hath  re¬ 
deemed  us  that  the  Voice  came  to  her 
from  God,  17,  1 95,  356,  370  ;  warned 
that  she  would  be  captured,  57  ;  the 
Voice  heard  during  her  trial,  22,  39  ; 
comforted  by  her  Voices,  62,  67,  118; 
her  prayer  for  counsel,  358,  364  ;  her 
request  to  Voices,  75-6  ;  advised  in 
certain  things  for  the  King  alone,  17  ; 
faith  in  her  mission  from  God,  87,  115, 
203,  356  ;  the  Voice  accompanied  with 
brightness  or  light,  10,  18,  27,  75  ;  her 
visions,  15,  16,  306  ;  faith  in  the  grace 
of  God,  18  ;  for  details  of  visitation  by 
Voices  refers  judges  to  examination  at 
Poitiers,  24,  46  ;  unless  with  Divine 
authority  refuses  details,  352  ;  subtlety 
of  questions  put  to  her,  160,  184,  196, 
202,  203,  215,  299,  305  ;  warns  judge 
of  his  responsibility  by  her  trial,  14,  16, 
76  ;  comfort  from  St.  Michael,  24,  25, 
84  ;  interrogated  as  to  St.  Michael  and 
St.  Gabriel,  45  ;  came  in  God’s  name, 
send  me  back  to  God,  15  ;  waits  on  our 
Lord,  90,  91,  108  ;  declared  herself  a 


392 


INDEX 


messenger  from  God,  34S  ;  loves  the 
Church  and  our  Christian  Faith,  86  ; 
always  upheld  the  Church,  343  ;  dedi¬ 
cated  her  virginity  to  God,  62-3  ; 
her  virginity,  91,  177,  205,  272,  309  ; 
correspondence  and  interrogations  as  to 
“three  Pontiffs,”  34-6;  her  letters  to 
Henry  VI.  and  his  generals  to  yield 
French  towns,  36-8,  286-7  ;  doubt  as  to 
authenticity  of  letter  to  Henry  VI.,  xiii- 
xiv  ;  augurs  further  loss  to  English,  38-9  ; 
her  rings,  40,  91-2  ;  questioned  as  to  a 
mandrake,  42,  344  ;  guiltless  of  mortal 
sin,  43,  77,  78,  354,  370  ;  hope  of  de¬ 
liverance,  76,  80-81,  147,  148;  trusts 
for  salvation,  77  ;  questioned  as  to 
Brother  Richard,  49,  50  ;  private  ex¬ 
aminations,  56,  64,  65,  67,  69,  74,  77, 
79,  85,  89  ;  hoped  to  deliver  the  Duke 
of  Orleans,  65-6,  280  ;  charges  formu¬ 
lated,  78  ;  questioned  as  to  death  of 
Franquel  d’ Arras,  78  ;  articles  of  ac¬ 
cusation  prepared,  94,  1 1 9  ;  denies 

witchcraft,  342  ;  allegations  of  witch¬ 
craft,  divination,  and  evil  arts,  342,  343, 
344,  348,  349,  357  ;  questions  and 
answers  read  over  in  prison,  95  ;  pro¬ 
secution  describe  her  early  years,  allege 
neglect  of  religious  instruction,  343  ; 
charged  with  living  in  a  house  of  ill 
fame,  344  ;  denies  boast  that  she  would 
be  mother  of  three  famous  children,  345  ; 
adoption  of  male  attire,  345-6  ;  pleads 
to  hear  Mass  in  male  attire,  96-7,  347  ; 
exhortations,  96-7,  106-119  ;  replies  to 
the  six  articles  of  exhortation,  113-117  ; 
trial  in  ordinary  for  belief,  98-106  ; 
assessors  deliberate,  99-101  ;  promoter 
against  Jeanne  said  to  act  solely  through 
zeal  for  the  Faith,  101  ;  canonical  ad¬ 
monition,  102  ;  interrogated  on  articles, 
102-3  1  denies  alleged  misdeeds,  365  ; 
interrogated  in  prison  on  submission  to 
the  Church.  If  not  in  conflict  with 
visions  and  revelations  will  submit  to 
Church  Militant,  103  ;  God  first,  then 
Church  Militant,  104,  108-110,  113-114, 
189  ;  her  illness,  106-7,  228,  253,  255  ; 
medical  men  supplied  to  serve  an  end, 
107  ;  in  event  of  death  craves  burial  in 
holy  ground,  108  ;  hopes  King  will 
build  a  chapel  for  prayer,  290  ;  declares 
herself  a  good  Christian,  no;  makes 
her  devotions  in  passing  to  and  fro 
Chapel  of  Castle,  171-2,  204;  visited 
by  enemies  in  disguise,  258,  298-9,  and 
enticed  to  confess  to  Loyseleur  within 
hearing  of  others,  165,  183-4  ;  biased 
tribunal,  164,  204  ;  Bp.  of  Beauvais’ 
agents  interview  her  without  effect,  ill  ; 
Archdeacon  Chatillon  attempts  instruc¬ 
tion  and  admonishes,  1 13,  116  ;  God  her 


Creator  caused  her  action,  to  God  she 
refers,  1 14,  208;  exhorted  to  submit  to 
Church  Militant,  116,  122-6,  1 90  ;  if 
taken  to  the  Pope  will  reply,  114,  189, 

210  ;  refers  her  answers  to  Rome,  128  ; 
willing  to  submit  to  Council  of  Bâle, 
159;  threatened  to  be  treated  as  a 
heretic,  114,  1 16,  126  ;  alleged  intention 
to  place  her  in  an  iron  cage,  192,  205, 

21 1  ;  and  tortured  if  refusing  certain 

answers,  117,  119,  257,  300,  339; 

intrepid  reply,  126  ;  twelve  articles  of 
charge,  approved  by  Paris  University, 
considered  and  endorsed  by  judges, 
119-121,  185;  charged  with  frustrating 
peace,  348  ;  denies  this  in  case  of 
Burgundy,  but  would  oppose  English 
till  out  of  France,  349  ;  her  self-defence, 
xx-xxi  ;  publicly  exposed  and  preached 
to,  127,  172,  173  ;  bishop  pronounces 
sentence,  129  ;  interrupted  by  recanta¬ 
tion  of  Jeanne,  130-132,  208  ;  will  sub¬ 
mit  to  the  Church,  173,  176,  186  ;  con¬ 
demned  to  perpetual  imprisonment,  133  ; 
insulted  by  soldiers,  21 1  ;  in  a  lay  prison, 
xviii  ;  asks  to  be  taken  to  an  ecclesi¬ 
astical  prison,  169,  173  ;  adopts  feminine 
attire,  134,  173,  186,  189,  204,  207; 
again  in  male  attire,  135,  i74>  1 77? 
1 79,  193  ;  her  explanation,  136,  I59> 
163,  177  ;  abjures  her  recantation,  137-8  ; 
adjudication  of  judges,  138-140;  to  re¬ 
ceive  sentence  in  old  market,  Rouen, 
141  ;  takes  the  Sacrament,  151,  160, 
175,  180,  187,  193,  207;  sentence  of 
death,  xxi,  142-5  ;  of  excommunication, 
brought  to  the  old  market  place,  142, 

163,  1 9 1 ,  256,  305  ;  preached  to,  191  ; 
forced  from  platform  to  stake  without 
sentence  of  secular  judges,  161,  163, 
194,  300,  301  ;  English  soldiers  around 
her,  170,  175  ;  asked  pardon  of  the 
English  and  Burgundians,  154  ;  lays  her 
fate  upon  Bishop  of  Beauvais,  158-91 
195  ;  horror  on  learning  proposed  mode 
of  death,  158  ;  her  execution,  xxi  ; 
devout  demeanour  at  the  stake,  161, 

164,  170,  175,  199;  when  in  the  flames 
begged  the  Cross  to  be  held  before  her, 
161,  175,  195  ;  Jesus  her  dying  utter¬ 
ance,  161,  176,  273,  301,  305  ;  pity 
excited  by  her  execution,  191,  192,  255  ; 
contrition  of  her  executioner,  161,  163, 
194  ;  exact  place  of  execution,  1 70,  175  ; 
death  desired  by  the  English,  186  ;  her 
ashes  cast  into  the  Seine,  193,  207,  301, 
302,  305  ;  her  appearance  in  June,  1429, 
30  ;  no  authentic  portrait  known,  49  ; 
her  abstemious  diet,  237,  243,  296; 
prison  diet,  15,  16  ;  pious  and  simple 
life,  xiii  ;  physical  hardihood,  xiii  ;  her 
presence  controlled  vice  and  raised  tone 


INDEX 


393 


of  French  army,  xii-xiii,  243,  245,  249, 
250,  251,  264,  268,  270;  hospitable  to 
poor,  221,  224,  272;  problem  as  to  her 
knowledge  of  logic  and  theology,  xix  ; 
testimony  to  virtue  and  courage,  xxvi, 
319  ;  eloquent  and  forensic,  yet  prudent 
and  simple  in  answers,  xxvii,  177,  179; 
Charles  VII.  orders  posthumous  enquiry 
nearly  twenty  years  later,  v,  xxi,  37 1  ; 
abortive,  372  ;  enquiry  ordered  by  Pope 
Nicholas  V.,  xxii,  372;  no  definite  re¬ 
sult,  373  ;  Pope  Calixtus,  on  petition  of 
Jeanne’s  mother,  Isabella,  causes  solemn 
enquiry  at  Paris,  xxii,  373-376  ;  sworn 
information  of  events  in  the  last  days  of 
Jeanne’s  life,  147-8,  150  ;  official  Latin 
text  of  trial  and  rehabilitation,  xxv  ; 
sentence  of  rehabilitation  xxiii,  321-328, 
376 

Jeanne  d’Arc  family,  see  d’Arc 
fhesus  Maria  on  banner,  31,  91,  361  ;  on 
letters,  35,  36,  349,  350,  352,  369 
Josephine,  Empress,  249 
Joyart,  Mengette,  222 
Junièges,  Abbot  of,  127 


La  Basque,  standard-bearer,  316,  317 
La  Charité  sur  Loire,  53,  73,  317,  352, 

361 

Lacloppe,  Bertrand,  218 
Ladies’  Tree,  see  Tree 
LaJvenu,  Br.  Martin,  148,  150,  168,  170, 
175.  I9L  193-5,  328,  338,  372 
Lagny,  29,  52,  78 

La  Hire,  Maréchal,  233,  235,  250,  263, 
264,  277,  279,  293,  308,  31 1,  312, 
3H 

La  Macée,  Lady,  305 
Lambert  or  Lombart,  Jean,  306 
Lancaster,  House  of,  xvii 
Lapse,  the,  121-134,  326 
Lapau,  Mme.,  260 
La  Rose,  Philippe,  373 
La  Rousse,  woman,  9,  217,  219,  344 
La  Saussaye  in  diocese  of  Evreux,  209 
Laval,  Guy  and  André  de,  30 
Laverdy,  M.,  331 
Laxart,  Durand,  218,  225,  230 
Laxart,  Jean  de,  6,  215 
Lebouchier,  Maître  Guillaume,  100,  106 
Lebouchier,  Messire  Pierre,  198 
Lebuin,  Michael,  225 
Lecamus,  Canon  Jacques,  1 5 1 
Lecomte,  Denis,  332,  374 
Ledoux,  Maître  Jean,  100,  1 18 
Le  Drapier,  Perin,  218 
Lefevre,  Maître  Jean,  Bishop  of  Deme- 
triade,  101,  205,  210,  338 
Lefumeux,  Messire  Jean,  231 
Leguise,  Bishop  Jean,  240 
Le  Marie,  Guillaume,  244,  306 


Lemaître,  Maître,  Jean,  Vice-Inquisitor  of 
Beauvais,  8,  66,  67,  94,  95,  98,  99,  105, 
129,  132,  133,  140,  141,  142,  168,  182, 
I93>  *94>  322 

Lenozolles,  Maître  Jean  de,  290,  340 
Leparmentier,  Maugier,  300 
Le  Renard,  see  Thérouenne 
Leroyer,  Catharine,  21,  227 
Leroyer,  Henry,  223,  227,  228 
Le  Royer,  Thévenin,  218 
L’Esbahy,  Jacques,  248 
Letters  to  English,  36-8,  235,  246-7,  286-7 
Letter  of  Duke  of  Burgundy,  335 
Letter  of  Count  d’Armagnac,  34-5,  351, 
Jeanne’s  reply,  35 

Ligny,  Count  de,  178,  294,  see  Luxem¬ 
bourg,  Jean 
Limoges,  ix 
Linguér,  Jean,  6 
Lisle,  177 
Loches,  268,  270 

Lohier,  Maître  Jean,  xix,  xx,  166-7,  2S4, 
257,  339 

Loire,  camps  on  the,  237 
Longueville,  Lord  Prior  of,  100 
Loré,  Sieur  Ambroise  de,  275,  279 
Lorraine,  its  traditions,  viii,  ix,  9 
Lorraine,  Charles,  Duke  of,  il,  30,  214 
218,  226,  272,  230 

Lorraine,  Réné  of  Anjou,  Duke  of,  1 1 
Louis  XL,  vii,  245,  275,289 
Louviers,  siege  proposed,  157,  158 
Loyseleur,  Nicolas,  56,  1 1 7,  118,  130,  134, 
148,  152,  165,  166,  167,  169,  179,  182, 
183,  202,  258,  298-9,  340,  341 
Lude,  Sieur  de,  278 

Luxembourg,  Jean  de,  58,  334,  335,  336  ; 
his  wife,  Jeanne  de  Bethune,  46  ;  see 
also  Ligny,  Count  de 
Luxembourg,  Count  Waleran  de,  46,  334 
Luxembourg,  Messire  Louis  de,  Archbp. 
of  Rouen,  163,  294;  see  Thérouenne 


Machet,  Gerard,  Bishop  of  Castres,  238 
Maçon,  Maître  Jean,  248 
Maçon,  Robert  le,  238 
Mailly,  Jean  de,  Bishop  of  Noyon,  255-6 
Manchon,  Guillaume,  56,  68,  77,  95,  126, 
136,  146,  165,  172,  178-187,  188,  197, 
212,  298,  331,  340,  372,  374 
Mandrakes,  42 
Manuel,  Pierre,  304 
Margaret  of  Anjou,  il,  275 
Margaret  of  Bavaria,  272 
Margaret  of  Scotland,  223 
Marguerie,  André,  101,  117,  118,  121,  192, 
202,  208-9 

Marie,  Messire  Thomas,  21 1 
Marigny,  335 

Marriage,  action  against  Jeanne,  62,  64, 
344 


394 


INDEX 


Martel,  Charles,  27 
Martin  V.,  Pope,  34 
Mary  of  Anjou,  Queen,  46 
Massieu,  Maître  Jean,  56,68,85,  1 1 7,  133, 
141,  170,  171-176,  198,  339,  372 
Maugier,  Pierre,  373 

Maurice,  Maître  Pierre,  56,  89,  95,  96, 
101,  103,  121,  122,  148,  149,  166,  171, 
180,  209,  302 
Maxey-sur-Vays,  19,  225 
Meaux,  Bishop  of,  «««  Versailles 
Meaux,  Viscountess  de,  46 
Mehun,  237 
Melun,  57,  73 
Melville,  Lord,  xi 
Merlin,  prophecy,  21,  188,  241 
Message,  Mathieu,  244 
Metz,  Jean  de  Novelemport,  called  Jean 
de,  x,  12,  136,  218,  223-3,  226,  228, 
230,  265,  291,  301 
Meung,  249,  263 
Meung-sur-Loire,  237,  278,  289 
Meung-sur-Yevre,  245,  317 
Midi,  Maître  Nicolas,  56,  61,  64,  67,  69, 
74,  77,  79,  85,  89,  94,  95,  96,  100,  103, 
106,  109,  119,  121,  134,  142,  166,  1 7 1, 
176,  177,  207,  255,  258,  295,  300 
Milan,  Duke  of,  6 
Milet,  Colette,  295 
Milet,  Pierre,  295,  296 
Minet,  Messire  Jean,  6 
Minier,  Pierre,  209 
Moen,  Jean,  216 

Monnet,  Maître  Jean,  258-9,  340 
Montargis,  battle,  232,  242 
Moreau,  Jean,  303 

Morel,  Maître  Aubert,  loi,  1 1 7,  118,  1 1 9 

Morel,  Jean,  6,  215 

Morin,  Maître  Jourdin,  274,  282 

Mortemer,  Abbot  of,  127 

Mugot,  see  Contes,  L.  de 

Musée  de  Trocadéro,  Paris,  49 

Musnier,  Simonin,  221 

Muton,  Guillaume,  103 


Naples,  vii 
Napoleon  I.,  v 

Neufchâteau,  9,  10,  212,  2x4,  216,  218, 
220,  344 

Newman,  Cardinal,  xxii 
Nibat,  Jean  de,  100 
Nicholas  V.,  Pope,  xxi,  372 
Normandy,  371 
Norwich,  Bishop  of,  127 
Novelomport,  Jean  de,  12  ;  see  Metz 
Noyon,  Bishop  and  Diocese  of,  4,  121, 
127,  142 


OATH,  administration  of,  5,  6,  7 
Olivier,  Alain,  328 


Orient,  Pierre,  97 
Orleans  family,  xv 
Orleans,  Charles,  Duke  of,  72,  280 
Orleans,  Duke  of,  12,  65,  307,  353 
Orleans  held  by  patriots,  vi  ;  its  siege,  vii, 
3L  32>  35  !  relief  ordered,  x  ;  siege  raised 
by  Jeanne  d’Arc,  233-237,  242,  245, 
246-7,  249,  260-263,  266-270,  275-6, 
284-289,  292,  293,  296,  297,  307, 

300-317 

Ourdies,  Albert  d’,  228 


Paris,  vii,  xv,  181,  352  ;  its  assault,  14, 
28,  73,  78,  353  ;  Church  of  Notre  Dame, 
373;  National  Library,  331,  332  ;  Par¬ 
liament  of,  336  ;  University  of,  xxi,  119, 
120,  122,  138,  177,  336 
Paris,  Guillaume  Chartier,  Bishop  of,  321, 
373 

Partada,  Alphonse  de,  314 

Pasquerel,  Brother  Jean,  32,  281,  282 

Patay,  Battle  of,  xii,  266,  280,  289,  293 

Peter  of  Pomfret,  ix 

Petit,  Gerard,  229 

Philip  II,  273 

Philip  the  Fair,  xxii 

Picard  ravages,  9 

Pigache,  Maître  Jean,  209 

Pinchon,  Jean,  99 

Poitiers,  vii,  ix,  xi,  xviii,  xix,  24,  136, 
265,  305  ;  book  at,  25  ;  Church  of,  116  ; 
Clergy  of,  201,  244 

Pole,  William  de  la,  Earl  of  Suffolk,  36, 
241,  248,  263,  265,  277,  278 
Pollichon,  see  Poulengey 
Pont  l’Evêque,  73,  361 
“  Pontiffs,  Three,”  34 
Pope  and  Empire,  xvi 
Pope  Calixtus,  v,  xxii,  178,  373 
Pope  Nicholas  V.,  372,  373 
Pope  of  Rome,  33,  36,  91,  114,  116,  128, 
131,  145,  159,  160,  189,  210 
Poulengey,  Bertrand  de,  12,  136,218,  224, 
226,  228-231,  265,  see  Pollichon,  B. 
Poulnois,  Hauves,  283 
Pouthon,  the  Burgundian,  335 
Preaux,  Abbot  of,  127 
Pressy,  Sieur  Jean  de,  47 
Preston  Manor,  Sussex,  42 
Prevosteau,  Guillaume,  374 
Process  or  transcript  of  trial,  180,  1S1,  187, 
188,  196,  197,  200,  210,  325,  326,  327 
Prophecy — France  lost  by  a  woman,  saved 
by  a  maid,  226,  227 
Prophecy  of  d’Avignon,  269 


Queen  of  Charles  VII,  270,  271 
Quesnay,  Maurice  de,  106 
Quicherat,  xxv,  242 


INDEX 


395 


Rabateau,  Jean,  24,  243,  265,  269,  306 
Raguier,  Ilemon,  Treasurer,  215,  275,  283 
Raiguesson,  Jean,  6,  215 
Rais,  Gilles  de  Lava],  Seigneur  de,  233 
Raymond,  260 

Régnault  de  Chartres,  xiv  ;  see  Rheims 
Rehabilitation  Sentence,  321-328,  371 
Relapse,  135-146,  326 
Reynel,  Maître  Jean  de,  257 
Rheims  xii,  215,  237,  239,  244,  245,  264, 
292,  304,  361  ;  Jeanne’s  house,  51 
Rheims  Cathedral  xii,  xiv,  51 
Rheims,  Jean  Jouvenal  des  Ursins,  Arch¬ 
bishop  of,  321,  373 
Rheims  Reginald,  Àrchbp.  of  324 
Rheims,  Régnault  de  Chartres,  Archbp.  of, 
xi,  xiv,  xix,  24,  1 1 5,  1 18,  201,  233,  240, 
3°5  . 

Ricarville,  Guillaume  de,  245 
Richard  II,  ix 

Richard,  the  Archer,  224,  226,  228,  230 
Richard,  Brother,  42,  48,  53 
Richelieu,  289 
Ricquier,  Jean,  301 
Rosse,  Philippe  de,  178 
Roucessey-sous-Neufchâteau,  216 
Rouel,  Jean  de,  257 

Rouen,  v,  xix,  119,  372;  Castle,  3,  no, 

1 1 7,  lr9i  121,  290  ;  the  Ornament 
Room,  8,  340,  351  ;  Archiépiscopal 

Chapel,  120,  138,  139,  328  ;  Trial  of 
Jeanne  d’Arc,  3,  99,  121,  132,  181,  252  ; 
Jeanne’s  Imprisonment,  96,  106,  192, 
195.  199>  205,  255,  294,  299,  303, 

305  ;  Cemetery  of  Saint  Ouen,  127,  132  ; 
Market  Place,  170,  327 
Roussel,  Guillaume,  328 
Roussel,  Jean,  328 
Roussel,  Raoul,  118 
Rouvray,  Battle,  11 

Royal  Letters  of  Jeanne’s  Surrender,  3 

Saint  Bernard;  119 
St.  Catherine,  x,  23,  24,  26,  39,  40,  47, 
60,  62,  65,  69,  71,  74,  75,  77,  79,  84, 
88,  90,  92,  109,  1 15,  131,  137,  345, 
352,  355.  357,  358,  363,  366,  368,  370 
St.  Catherine  de  Fierbois,  village,  12,  27, 
28,  89,  349 
St.  Charles,  234,  235 

St.  Denis,  13,  14,  29,  62,  88,  349,  353, 
354,  36 1  ;  war  cry,  89 
St.  Eusebius,  Cardinal  of  England,  127, 
161,  187,  209 

St.  Gabriel,  118,  357,  366,  371 
St.  Lo  of  Rouen,  Prior  of,  127 
St.  Louis,  234,  235 

St.  Margaret,  x,  23,  24,  26,  39,  40,  47,  60, 
62,  65,  71,  74,  77,  84,  88,  90,  92,  109, 

“5,  I3L  137,  345,  352,  354,  357,  358, 
363,  366,  36S,  370 


Saint  Mesmin,  Amian  de,  248 
St.  Michael,  25,  39,  42,  44,  45,  64,  84, 
85,  199,  255,  344,  355,  357,  35»,  366, 
368,  370 

St.  Michel  au  Péril-de-la-Mer,  Abbot  of, 
127 

St.  Nicholas  du  Port,  226,  277-8,  229 
St.  Ouen  of  Rouen,  Abbot  of,  127 
St.  Ouen,  Jeanne  preached  to  at,  172,  187, 
191,  255,  259,  295,  376 
St.  Peter  and  his  Successors,  124,  13 1 
St.  Pierre-le-Moustier,  246,  318 
St.  Quentin,  Burgundy’s  letter  to  people, 
335 

St.  Thomas,  160 
St.  Urbain,  town  of,  12 
Scales,  Lord,  37,  248,  278 
Scotland,  King  of,  vii 
Séguin,  Pierre,  244 
Selles  en-Berry,  30,  271 
Senlis,  Bishop  of,  51,  78 
Shakespeare,  ix 

Sicily,  Yolande,  Queen  of,  275,  309 
Soissons,  4,  54 
Sologne,  the,  260,  284 
Stafford,  Earl  of,  183,  294 
Suffolk,  Earl  of,  21  ;  see  Pole 
Surname,  girls  take  mother’s,  95 
Surreau,  Laurent,  receiver-general,  257, 
328 

Sword  obtained  at  St.  Catherine  de  Fier¬ 
bois,  28,  89,  349,  353 


Talbot,  John,  Earl  of  Shrewsbury,  37, 
234,  235,  248,  266,  279,  280 
Talbot,  William,  7,  338 
Taquel,  Nicolas,  68,  146,  185,  195-198, 
298,  340 
Teresa,  viii 

Thermes,  Simon  de,  229 
Thérouenne,  Bishop  of  (Cardinal  de  Luxem¬ 
bourg),  121,  127,  142,  208,  334 
Thévenin,  Jeannette,  6,  213,  215,  216 
Thierry,  Maître  Reginald,  245 
Thierry,  Wautrin,  375 
Thiesselin,  Jeannette,  6,  213,  215,  217 
Thou,  Jacques  de,  248 
Tilly,  Janet  de,  232 

Torcenay,  Jean  de,  Bailly  of  Chaumont, 
225,  229 
Toul,  344 

Touraine, Jacques  de,  56,  89,  103,  106,  1 19, 
166,  171,  183,  252,  257 
Touroulde,  Dame  Marguerite  la,  270-272 
Tours,  28,  268,  283,  284 
Torture,  117,  119,  126,  339 
Toutmouillé,  Brother  Jean,  148,  150,  157, 
372 

Tree  at  Domremy,  Ladies’ or  Fairies’,  20, 
214,  217,  219,  221,  229,  343,  344,  366 
Tremouille,  Seigneur  de  la,  60,  71,  78,  115 


396 


INDEX 


Tressart,  Maître  Jean,  192 
Treves,  Sieur  de,  238 
Treves,  Lady  de,  282 
Trial,  see  Process 

Troyes,  xii,  48,  49,  292  ;  treaty  of,  vi, 
226 

Turquetil,  Maître  Eustace,  172 
Turreiure,  Pierre,  306 


Vallée,  Maitre  Guillaume,  190 
Vatican,  331 

Vaucouleurs,  x,  9,  214,  225,  226,  227, 
230  ;  remains  of  castle,  11,  12,  65 
Vaucouleurs,  Alain  de,  226 
Vaux,  Pasquier,  de,  61,  64,  66 
Venderès,  Nicolas  de,  99,  117,  118,  121, 
I3S;  139,  147 
Vendôme,  Count  de,  74 
Verneuil,  battle  of,  277 
Versailles,  Pierre  de,  Abbot  of  Talmont, 
243-  265,  269,  270,  274,  282 


Vienne,  Colet  de,  12,  218,  224,  226,  228, 
230 

Villars,  Sieur  de,  232,  314 
Viole,  Maitre  Aignan,  297 

Wandonne,  Lionel  Bastard  de,  335 
Ward,  Jean  Dieu-le-,  218 
Warwick,  Earl  of,  106,  162,  164,  169, 

174.  179.  183,  186,  189,  190,  197,  200, 
212,  232,  254,  294,  299,  335,  338 
Washington,  George,  xiv 
Waterin,  Jean,  220 
Well  Sunday,  20,  214,  217,  219 
William  of  Worcester,  336 
Woman’s  dress,  Jeanne  and,  21,  46,  47, 
95.  114-115,  !34,  136,  138,  159,  169, 
174,  1 86,  204,  228,  347,  348,  367,  368 

Ysambard  de  la  Pierre,  66,  67,  69, 
77,  79,  85,  89,  1 18,  134,  135,  159-162, 
164,  168,  188,  190,  194,  340 


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